Knights of Shadow Nights of Passion
by Zankyri
Summary: (Major Revision May 2016) Based on Bioware's Star Wars The old Republic. The story depicts life in the Empire from the view point of a Sith Inquisitor with a unique perspective on the force. It threatens his life while at the same time offering to fulfill his dreams and passions. A completed work. - Feedback Requested.
1. Chapter 1 Awakening

Chapter 1 Awakening

Iwelith crouched behind a rock overlooking a sand flat. Below was the open maw of a sarlacc, row upon row of jagged sharp teeth waiting for its next meal. Two men fought in the hot desert sand dangerously close to the creature. The outcome was always the same. Both men injured, near death, neither able to gain an advantage. They remained locked in mortal combat even as they tumbled into the gaping mass of teeth, lost forever to the sand and heat.

Iwelith awoke from the dream covered in sweat, all attempts to sit up failed, she was encouraged to find that pain from her wounds had lessened considerably this morning. Her thoughts were less clouded, for that she was also thankful.

She lay on a cushioned mat on the floor, the surroundings were humble, certainly not what she expected. There was a young humanoid child attending her, the girl smiled briefly at Iwelith as she went about tending the bandages on Iwelith's shoulder and stomach.

Iwelith resisted the temptation to try to sit up again; instead she remained lying down and reached for the force. She took a deep breath, slowly in then out, in and out.

"There is no emotion, there is peace.  
There is no ignorance, there is knowledge.  
There is no passion, there is serenity.  
There is no chaos, there is harmony.  
There is no death, there is the Force."

During all her years as a padawan and then as an apprentice, the Jedi code had comforted her, eased her pain. What it failed to do, today, was reestablish her connection to the force.

Jedi apprentice Iwelith'Sharat had been on her way to take the final trials that would complete her passage from apprentice to full Jedi. The ship she was on had been travelling in neutral space when it was intercepted and boarded by Imperial forces. The last thing she remembered was putting herself between a republic officer and a Sith warrior.

"I prefer the original, I know you Jedi like Odan Urr's version but I find it lacking."

Iwelith turned her head to see a black robed man sitting on an ornate pillowed chair. A first glance, he was a human in his mid-thirties, his face, while not unpleasant, was empty, cold; it made the skin on the back of her neck tingle. Her captor glanced at the child changing Iwelith's bandages and said something in a language Iwelith could not place. The girl smiled at him and darted out of the room.

The man sitting before her was not the Sith who attacked her. While he appeared fit, his build was slighter than that of her attacker. He had black hair pulled back and bound behind his head. His clothing was similar in fashion, and he had the same look in his eyes. Iwelith decided that it was best to treat him as Sith until proven otherwise.

"I am gratified to see that you are finally awake. We have much to do you and I." He smiled. Iwelith did not react; she reset her breathing and pushed fear to the background. Without the force to aid her, the task was difficult to say the least. It should not have been, during her training there were many times she needed to settle her fear without access to the force, no this was something else.

The man chuckled as if sensing her struggle.

"I am your prisoner, why?" Iwelith asked flatly. Her fingers tugging gently at the slave collar around her neck. She was also wondering why she was being healed? Iwelith had been told that Sith preferred injured prey, injury breeds vulnerability.

In one fluid motion he came out of the chair, moved across the room and dropped into a lotus position next to her on the floor.

"First, we discuss the rules. I will answer your questions, you will answer mine. Both of us will speak truth. Where we cannot or will not answer we will do our best to provide understanding as to why, Yes?" His head tilted slightly to one side, his eyes searching her face. Iwelith noticed his slight accent, an odd structure to his speech, she could not place it

"In this way we have peace, knowledge and harmony. This meets with your high minded Jedi approval?" his words were warm, and soothing. She had expected something different something sharper. She did not trust him; Iwelith knew that for Sith, conversation was just another form of combat. One that the Sith enjoyed as much as any other.

"I agree." Again she replied with an even tone, maintaining her breathing. If she could draw out the questioning, keep it going, there was hope that she could use the time to touch the force, to speed her healing. Jedi were taught to commune with their bodies, with or without the force. It was as much an aid to healing as it was a meditative exercise.

"Good, I am pleased you can be reasonable." He bowed his head ever so slightly, and stood in one motion. He walked to the rooms' only doorway, motioned to someone in the adjacent room with one hand, then turned back to Iwelith.

"Very well I will go first, a gesture of good will." He chuckled. The girl darted back into the room accompanied by a woman. They were carrying trays with what Iwelith hoped were food and water.

"Yes, you are my captive. I purchased your freedom from the Sith warrior that boarded your ship." He placed his hands on his hips, he watched as the woman helped Iwelith sit up. The child filled a cup with liquid from the jug she had brought. Once it was full she offered it to Iwelith.

"As to why, I am going to complete your training; you are to be my apprentice. Now eat, and drink. When you are fully healed we will talk about your dream."

The days passed slowly, six now by Iwelith's count. As soon as Iwelith had been able to stand she set about surveying her prison. With the exception of the explosive slave collar and a lamp, the simple room had no visible technical devices. The window was barred and sturdy. From the sights and sounds beyond the window she knew that the house was part of a primitive village surrounded by dense jungle.

The door to her prison was as sturdy as the window, having the appearance of being recently installed. Cursory examination suggested the walls and doorway were reinforced. Escape from such a primitive prison would have been an easy matter if she could connect with the force. As she was now, there was little hope of escape and there was the matter of the slave collar.

Early in her captivity she had heard a ship overhead. Looking out the window she was disappointed to see a large imperial vessel, given its size it was probably a Harrower battle cruiser, but she was not certain. With the treaty of Coruscant in place, both sides, imperial and republic were bound to keep their ships in their own or neutral territory. The presence of an imperial starship meant she was behind enemy lines, or if she was lucky, on some unaligned world. Iwelith was not feeling lucky.

Each day her strength increased. Jitta and Edza were her constant companions. She had made attempts to communicate with them but the study of languages had not been one of her strong suits

They had established a rudimentary understanding. Jitta and Edza were mother and daughter, slaves of the Sith. They seemed happy, she was not sure if it was an act or some form of conditioning. As a Twi'lek she was all too familiar with slavery.

Within many places in the Empire, and the Republic, to own a Twi'lek brought status. Some enterprising slavers would suggest that to move in certain circles it was an obligation to own one.

As a red skinned or Lethan Twi'lek, Iwelith was a rarity and in high demand. When Iwelith was eight years old, her clan matriarch made arrangements for her to be sold, in order to secure much needed funds.

Slave trade in the empire was as regimented and organized as it was old. As a new slave, Iwelith had been transported to training facilities, prepared and then sent out to a world where she would bring the highest price. She was spared only because the republic paid well for force sensitives and the slavers did not care to whom they sold. Business was business after all. The Jedi purchased her through a neutral third party, and arranged for her travel to the Jedi academy. She had been lucky, her gift with the force was sufficient for the Jedi to put aside her late start.

Iwelith did not need access to the force to know that Jitta and Edza were genuinely happy. It was, she reasoned, a trick or at the very least, a thread in the web of lies that Sith were famous for.

She had tried to talk to Jitta about the Sith but the woman would scowl at her when Iwelith tried. Edza seemed to enjoy their conversations. They were, at best, a game of pointing and acting out questions. Edza would giggle almost constantly as Iwelith tried to motion her way through questions. Jedi are capable students and Iwelith did manage to pick up a number of words, but without Jitta's participation, Iwelith was unable to grasp syntax and proper grammatical structure.

Edza had come to her after a particularly lengthy session. The little girl wrapped her small hands around Iwelith's neck she was careful not to bump Iwelith's Lekku. Quietly she mimicked the Siths annoying chuckle.

"Casarius" she whispered. Iwelith pointed towards the other room while looking deeply into Edza's face. She copied Edza's version of that annoying chuckle, "Casarius?" Iwelith said quietly, Edza smiled nodding in agreement.

'So I know your name' Iwelith thought. It was not much, but it was the beginning, and it would have to do for now.

Day nine Casarius threw open the door to her room but did not enter. Jitta scurried past him and placed a bundle on the mat, she smiled at Iwelith then turned and left the room.

Casarius pointed to the items on the mat.

"You are Tyrian clan, yes?" He did not wait for a response. "Yes Tyrian." He nodded his head agreeing with himself.

"The clothes are modest but will still let you move, uh dance, yes, if you choose." He smiled; Iwelith had no intention of wearing clothes given to her by this Sith.

"Be mindful of the collar. I am sorry that it has to be so." Iwelith felt her face flush. An apology from a Sith, an apology that felt real. She brushed it off; it was more threads in the web he was laying down.

"There is also a book, a Jedi book. I would ask you to read it but be mindful." His voice lowered to a whisper. Iwelith rummaged through the items and pulled out the book. It was beautiful, its cover a crimson red leather. It was adorned with metallic symbols, everything about it suggested it was hundreds of years old. Its condition spoke to the love and attention of its previous owner. 'Sith probably killed the last owner, they are all savages.' She thought.

"Read each page as if it is a trap my apprentice; be sure that you have found any untruth, any deviation that you must believe is hidden in it. After all, anything a Sith gives you must be evil, yes?" He chuckled, bowed his head and turned as if to leave.

"Wait!" Iwelith caught herself; the words had come out sharp with emotion. "Please, I would like to talk." Casarius turned back into the room. His body stiff, his gaze looking directly into her.

"You want to know, where you are and why you cannot feel the force." It was not a question just a statement of fact. His expression did not change. Iwelith calmed herself, even without the force she should be able to maintain control, but it was so hard. It had occurred to her that the food was tainted with some toxin that was making her more sensitive. Sith alchemy was renowned and feared throughout the known worlds, and with good cause.

"Yes, please." Being polite is not a sign of surrender, Iwelith knew that, but any form of cooperation felt wrong. Iwelith was still fighting to maintain control of her fear but one thing she knew in her heart. 'I will not turn to the dark side. I will die first.'

"You are Tyrian clan and that means singing, dancing, and poetry" Casarius said with a smile. Iwelith pushed down the growing concern in her stomach 'You are mad if you think I am going to dance for you!" she thought. She paused a moment, and to her satisfaction, the fear subsided and peace returned.

"Apprentice, don't worry so, I want you to sing for me, not dance" Casarius said with a smile. "You will do this for me?" again his face was filled with genuine excitement as he waited for her reply. Iwelith was beginning to wonder if this man was Sith at all. 'If Casarius is a puppet then my true captor is unknown to me, or worse, he is Sith and I have severely underestimated his cunning.' Both thoughts were equally disturbing. 'Maintain the façade of civility for now' she thought.

"Singing is not against the Jedi way, it is not often done though, but I can sing. I doubt there is any great harm in it." In truth she had missed the singing and dancing. Iwelith recalled some of the festive events from her childhood. Memories of her childhood flickered into her mind, faces and sounds, warmth and family. It was an effort to bring her feelings under control.

"Good, good! It is settled then. So now I will tell you what I can, and then you will sing." Casarius stepped forward, dropped down next to her mat, placing his hands one over the other in his lap.

He motioned to the walls. "We are on Drommund Kaas in a small village in the jungle some five hundred kilometers south west of Kaas city." He paused for a moment then barked something that brought Edza and her mother running. They both smiled at him, took some instruction, and ran out of the room. Edza was clearly giggling.

Iwelith let that sink in, if it were true that she was indeed on Drommund Kaas, the seat of imperial power in the region, her hopes of a rescue were extinguished. She was on her own, fear settled in. She knew this fear, it was the same fear she felt when the village matriarch sold her to slavers. The same fear she had the first day she stepped out on the slave market. 'Why can't I touch the force, please great mother help me' she thought.

Jitta and Edza returned with trays of food and drink. They put the trays down on the floor and much to Iwelith's surprise Casarius motioned them to sit. 'A Sith picnic' the sight of it made her want to laugh. Her fear, which a moment ago had threatened her, now retreated back into the small spaces in her mind. Thankful, she was about to smile at Casarius for the gesture but caught herself. 'He may not be Sith, but I am being manipulated and by an expert,' she thought. She had been a moment away from smiling at a Sith or at the very least a Sith puppet. She regained her composure. Iwelith paused a moment more, taking in the scene, watching Jitta, Edza and Casarius pick at the food on the tray and chatter with each other.

Casarius cleared his throat to get her attention. "I was saying, five hundred kilometers from Kaas city. Not so good for you, but that is life, yes?" He smiled at her again and took a bite of fruit.

"What about my connection to the force?" Iwelith made sure that she was in full control of her emotions before asking. She had no delusions about who had power here but she was going to do all she had been taught to do, to let him know her will was strong.

Casarius shifted a bit, he began pulling at his left ear. "Well that was most unfortunate. The nature of your injuries were not life threatening, but the drugs used were chosen before I fully understood your uh..." He paused clearly searching for the right words. "That is to say, before I realized you were still an apprentice." He did not emphasize the word 'still' or 'apprentice', yet both words still hit her, and ate at her resolve.

Casarius was searching her face, gauging her reaction to his statement before continuing. "This particular medication is designed to accelerate tissue regeneration but that was not my primary purpose in using it. The plant from which the drug is derived is most potent only after it has been, uh, processed." He reached into a pouch on his belt and pulled out a small data pad. He ran his fingers over the data pad for a moment then pushed it into her hands. He motioned her to read, poking the pad with his index finger until she picked up the device.

Iwelith scanned the information. It was, for the most part, mundane. It spoke of a sloth like creature that ate a plant whose seeds were not digested by the animal. They were collected after they had passed through the animal. It was something in the creatures' digestive system that affected the seeds. In addition to their restorative properties, was the side effect of dampening a force user's ability to connect to the force. Casarius watched her face as she reviewed the information.

"Gaining access to the research facility was very difficult. Liberating a supply from the scientists even more so." He chuckled and Iwelith gritted her teeth.

"I must admit that I felt bad for the scientists, you see as it turns out Sith and Imperial intelligence received word of the scientist's findings from an anonymous source" He feigned surprise while chuckling quietly.

"They were most grateful, yes indeed. Not so good for the scientists though. You see their mission on that pretty blue planet did not include investigating plants or making drugs, rather to study crystal formations. When their deviation and unauthorized research was discovered, they were summarily executed, all data was destroyed, and the planet irradiated into a barren wasteland." Casarius chuckled to himself as he took the data pad back. 'Infuriating man' Iwelith thought.

"I should not laugh so, I imagine that my sense of humor must seem in bad taste to a Jedi, and besides, that planet was very pretty. I should have liked to have gone back at some point. Very sad, yes." He sat in silence for a moment, Iwelith took note of his body language and wondered if his remorse was in any way real. 'Not likely, Sith have no guilt they don't understand anything beyond deceit and hate' She thought to herself.

He patted her on the knee "The drugs should have run their course by now. In truth your connection to the force should return by morning." He said with a smile. "As an inquisitor I tend to over think things, and it seems I was overly zealous, had I known you were not a full Jedi I would have foregone the force dampening medication, and simply healed you myself. Now we must speak of what comes next. Yes, my apprentice." With a wave of his hand he set Jitta and Edza about cleaning up the trays and scurrying out of the room.

"When you regain your connection to the force we both know what you will do first, yes, yes indeed we do." He frowned and pointed to the slave collar around Iwelith's neck.

"You will try to remove that and I would not blame you. But you must know this, my apprentice. Removing that will cause nothing but pain, sorrow, and death. This, I promise you!" She could see clearly that there was concern on his face.

"I am not your apprentice." Her tone was even but there was an unexpected edge to it, even she heard it. 'There is no emotion, there is peace' she thought.

"Is that anger and frustration I sense?" He feigned shock and surprise. "I thought Jedi were supposed to be above such things." He chuckled, Iwelith cringed. "What's in a word? If I called you Talneth you would not be offended, even though in my native tongue it also means apprentice." His face held a smile, but his words were softer, more fluid. 'He is baiting me, and doing a damn good job too.' She thought to herself. Was she really this weak? Over the last few days Iwelith had begun to doubt her worthiness as a Jedi. She wondered if she would have passed her final trials.

Master Benz had warned her of self-doubt, he had told her that the same doubt that was common to the initiate, often returned to the apprentice before taking up the trials.

'Wisdom is a journey not a destination. We may stumble or find ourselves unsure of the path. When this happens, you must trust in the force to guide you. We only fail if we let fear slow our journey.' Master Benz had said. 'I will not fail you master.' She found comfort in the memory.

Jitta and Edza returned followed by a small droid. Jitta was carrying a woven basket with candles in it. Edza had some papers. Casarius stepped out into the main room, pulled his chair forward so that it almost blocked the doorway to her room. 'No not my room my prison, must maintain focus, this is a prison' Iwelith centered herself. Jitta placed colorful candles around the room.

Edza gave Iwelith the papers, Iwelith took them from Edza with a smile. They were Twi'lek songs, most where festival songs, and one was used to sing children to sleep.

Iwelith reviewed the pages for a while then chose one. "I liked this one as a child; it's a festival song celebrating harvest." Iwelith said. The small droid let out a series of beeps and moved closer to Iwelith. Edza took the page and showed it to the droid. The little droid moved and chirped then came to a stop near the wall. A moment later gentle music flowed from the droid accompanied by lights shining on the walls and ceiling of the room.

Iwelith began to sing, Jitta clapped and Edza danced around the room. As the song came to a close Casarius was also clapping along to the beat. Casarius called Edza to bring the songs to him. Casarius sifted through the pages until he found one, he gave it to Edza and she took it to the droid. Once again music played.

Iwelith recognized this one as well, it was the nursery rhyme. Iwelith sang while Jitta and Edza danced. As Iwelith sang a warmth grew insider her, at first it was faint, it seemed to grow as the song progressed. By the time the song was done there was no doubt, the tingling sensation was unmistakable. The force, blessed connection to the universe had returned.

She steadied herself and looked carefully at Casarius, there were tears in his eyes, and he was clapping.

"Wonderful, truly wonderful. I have no voice for such arts, a sore point in my life I assure you." He stood and motioned Jitta and Edza out of the room, they quickly moved about the room cleaning up. The entertainment driod beeped and chirped as it followed Edza out of the room.

Iwelith pulled gently at the force careful not to draw attention, but enough to ensure that it would not leave her. She stood hands clasped across her chest. 'Would Sith cry false tears, even if it was part of some web of lies?' she wondered.

"Before I leave I should like to apologize once again for the collar." He tugged at one ear as he said it. There was also a look of annoyance on his face. Iwelith found it odd once again that he would apologize.

"As I mentioned before, I thought you were further along and that it..." He pointed to the collar. "...would be necessary, had things been different, bah!" He raised his hands and then slapped them against his sides.

"The cursed key is in my Masters home in Kaas City. I cannot leave you to get it, and cannot send for it either. So, as I have said, do not try to remove it. Yes?" He was searching her face, looking for some understanding, some sign of surrender. Yes, that was it; she could see the worry in his face.

"We travel to my Master's home in just a few days! You have shown restraint, you have not tried to escape nor have you tried to influence Jitta or Edza." He moved closer to her, his gaze intent on her face.

"For these reasons, I am giving great consideration to removing that, that thing." He wagged his finger at the collar as he spoke, "It was never a good idea in the first place."

"I trust you will be able to control yourself for two days yes?" He paused as a frown crossed his face. "Remember what I said, pain, sorrow, and death, you understand, yes? But life is about choice, and I leave this to you." He left the room shutting the door quietly behind himself. Iwelith waited to hear the lock set, but nothing happened. She was alone, no not alone, she had the force.


	2. Chapter 2 Sorrow and Death

Chapter 2 Sorrow and death

As the hours passed, she ran through her meditation and force exercises. Each time she completed them her connection to the force grew stronger. It would have been exhilarating if her training permitted that emotion.

Her body was energized, she would have pulled more, but caution drove her to limit herself. She renewed her body, completed healing her wounds, and finally flushed the remnants of any toxins from her system. For the first time since her capture, she felt like a Jedi. She was focused, alert, at peace.

This was war, and her obligation as a prisoner, was to escape. She had no weapons, but that did not matter. If she could make her way into the jungle, she could escape. Her training had taught her to deal with escape and evasion. Once in the jungle, she would mask her life signs, and lose herself in the dense living mass that is any jungle on any planet.

Her best hope was to find an outpost or a way station as far from Kaas city as possible. Stow away on a shuttle or if the force was with her, a transport headed for an outlying world. 'First things first' she thought. The young Jedi turned her full attention to the collar. Before any hope of escape could be realized, the collar would have to come off.

Iwelith focused her thoughts and senses, she reached out and let the force flow over the collar like a breeze, nothing that would disturb the electronics, just enough to understand it.

Minutes passed as she twisted the force around the collar. She could feel the lock, its simple nature surprised her, no complex electronics just an intricate set of pressure points that needed to be pulled, pushed and twisted at the same time. It would be impossible to release without intent, rendering it safe from accidental tampering.

Training and experience drove her to review the lock multiple times until she was fully satisfied that it was what it appeared to be. Finally, she let the force slip away from the lock mechanism, confident that when the time came she could unlock it with a thought.

Iwelith turned her attention to the rest of the collar. Once again, she let the force gently shift across its surface, building her confidence. An hour later, she reached deeper into the device, however, try as she may, she was unable to understand the explosive. She could touch the material, but no probing or feeling could find the trigger or the related sensors.

Iwelith did locate a small transmitter; it was a simple design with limited range. It mattered little to her as failure to remove the collar correctly would result in a loud explosion, at which point, her concerns over alerting her captor would be of little concern.

When there was nothing further to gain from examining the collar, she reached out and touched the door. It took but a moment to confirm that it was not locked. It took even less time to feel Edza's presence on the other side of the door.

Iwelith stood, moved to the door and gently opened it just enough to see Edza's bright face staring back at her.

Edza put a hand over her mouth as if trying to stop herself from saying anything. Iwelith smiled at her and sat on the floor without opening the door further. Edza sat down on the other side of the door and stared at Iwelith. Neither said anything, as if there would have been anything to say, even if they did understand each other.

When almost an hour had passed, Edza got to her knees and leaned forward. She took Iwelith's face in her hands, as she had done many times before. Her appearance suggested she was less than ten years of age, but at that moment Iwelith felt sure she had an old soul.

Without a word Edza put a small kiss on Iwelith's forehead, then got to her feet and scurried quietly out of the room. Iwelith was left sitting in the doorway to her prison cell.

Iwelith sat unmoving as she waited for her mind to settle. She reached out with the force, she imagined a blanket of stars and planets before her, she pictured herself racing across the stars, beyond time and space. As she did this, she tugged at the force, guided it, let it flow around her thoughts until it took its own form.

On rare occasions, she had tried to see distant places, as part of her training. Always under the watchful eye of her master, success in this area was uncertain even for a Master Jedi, but Iwelith had no choice. When the feelings and images melted away, all she was left with was the knowledge that Casarius spoke the truth. Taking off the collar would lead to pain, sorrow, and death.

"I am a Jedi, there is no death there is the force." The words rolled off of her tongue without emotion.

"There is no emotion, there is peace" She slowly repeated the Jedi code over and over, all the while, trying to find a way out of this situation. '_I am a Jedi, I will not bend, will not give in, will not surrender to the dark side. I will die first,_' her mind was settled. It was almost morning, Iwelith wanted to see the sunrise one last time, it was a minor emotion, but it was not unreasonable. She got up, opened the door all the way, a final act of defiance, and then sat down in a meditative pose on her mat.

There is no emotion, there is peace.  
There is no ignorance, there is knowledge.  
There is no passion, there is serenity.  
There is no chaos, there is harmony.  
There is no death, there is the Force.

Over and over she repeated it. The code had been her friend for fourteen of her twenty two years as she travelled the path from padawan learner to an apprentice, ready for the trials. Sun began to spill into the room through the window. Iwelith smiled her breathing steady, mind alert and focused, she reached out with the force and snapped the lock. There was a click and a scream. Iwelith jumped, startled. Iwelith reached up and pulled the collar away from her throat.

Beyond her room there was another scream, a woman's scream. It was filled with absolute despair and sorrow. The ground shook. The walls of her room cracked, a jagged line shot from the floor to the middle of the wall.

She could feel Casarius moving toward her room, such was the force of his rage that she was thrown against the wall before she could see him.

"What did you do?!" his voice was in her mind, at the same time it deafened her. The glass window shattered, as did the lamp near her bed. He strode through the doorway wrapped in the force like a visible heatwave.

"Why? Why!" he shouted. The last 'why' had lifted her off the floor, she was now suspended in the air, pinned against the cracked wall. He dropped to his knees, tears running down his face.

Behind him Jitta entered the room, Edza's dead body in her arms. Jitta was covered in blood, Edza's blood. Iwelith's control cracked like the wall she was pinned against. _'Pain, sorrow, and death_' she thought. _'Oh great mother, what have I done?_' her heart pounded so hard it wanted to jump out of her chest.

"Did I hurt you in any way?" He shouted at her. Jitta dropped to the floor and began trying to brush her daughter's hair with her fingers. Casarius pulled himself up and approached Iwelith, she still could not move.

"Did I torture you, punish you? Or did I offer you peace, trust and understanding? He spit the words out as condemnation rather than questions. Iwelith could not see clearly through her own tears. The Jedi in her, began trying to pull the pieces together. 'There is no emotion, there is peace.' Her eyes cleared and her heart stopped pounding. She was not sure if she deserved to stop the pain.

"You are Sith, my enemy, I am obligated to try to escape. I had no choice!" The words were hollow. But it was he who had put the collar on her. He bore some responsibility.

"I am Sith, so I must die, we must fight regardless of my desire for peace?" his words reverberated deeply in the air, there was force behind them and something else. Iwelith opened herself to the force fully. Her ears stopped ringing. 'It's a start' she thought.

"Peace is a lie, there is only passion. Your code Sith not mine, there can be no peace, any peace you offer is a lie." It took all she had to focus, to speak with a steady tone. Her heart was still breaking, her fault Edza lay dead in her mother's arms, if only she had waited.

"Why? Because it's written; because thousands of years of dogma, say it so?" he stopped looking at her, instead he hung his head.

"You were supposed to be different, the one, you would understand." He was breathing differently, trying to calm himself. _'What is he talking about?_'

"What are you talking about? What game is this?" his grip on the force was weakening, Iwelith was sliding down the wall now, her arms were almost free. If she could keep him off balance, perhaps she would stand a chance, but his power was incredible. It was a gamble, but she had already been willing to die, so no risk was too great. 'Oh dear Edza I am so sorry, my fault.' Iwelith's thought betrayed her.

Casarius looked up, his eye met Iwelith's. In an instant she could feel his anger. It was almost overpowering. He leapt forward smashing his fist into the stone wall next to her head, the stone crumbled.

"Dogma, teachings of the Jedi and Sith for thousands of years. Mutual hate and destruction" He turned his head towards Jitta.

"Always the innocent are caught in the middle." He moved closer, Iwelith could feel his breath. His anger and sorrow washed over her like waves.

"Tell me about the dream!" His voice was low, but influenced by the force it echoed.

"There were two men, one a Jedi and one a Sith. They fought until they fell to their deaths, that's it; that's all!" What bearing does that have she wondered? His face contorted.

"Why?!" he shouted. The walls shook. From her place on the wall, Iwelith could see out the window, villagers were running scared. Many were gathering belongings and heading into the jungle.

"Why what? I don't know what you want me to say. They fought, they would not stop, and they died!" She tried to see what he wanted. She touched the force and replayed the dream in her mind looking for hidden wisdom.

"Did they want to die?! Was that it? Did you see that in your dream?" his voice was more controlled now. He still held the force in a vice grip, but it looked like the walls would survive. Jitta ignored everything; she just rocked back and forth with Edza in her arms. The dust from the walls covered Jittas face. Her tears left dark streaks down her face giving her an eerie look. 'Oh Edza I am so sorry' Iwelith thought again.

Casarius slammed his fist into the wall again. Iwelith snapped back to the moment.

"No, no, I saw no sign that they wanted to die, they just could not stop fighting, in the end, it killed them." There was nothing else she could tell him. She held the force and ran the dream again, this time, however, she felt something.

The men could not stop, the force gave her more. They could not stop because it was part of who they were. A chill ran up her spine as she came to the realization that the force was not showing her a dream. She had not been dreaming, it was a force vision. The events she saw had really happened.

"I see, I mean, I feel. They could not stop because it was who they were. Sith and Jedi. They had to fight" Casarius slumped slightly. "Finally you understand it was a vision not a dream. A vision of what I saw when I was a boy. I was the one hiding behind the rock. I watched as the Jedi and Sith fought until they both fell into that thing." He pulled himself back from Iwelith.

"You were supposed to be different, to understand. What you have seen, your life, even your home, was supposed to teach you!" What did Ryloth, her home, have to do with a battle between a Jedi and a Sith.

"I am sorry. I don't understand. What does my vision, my home, have to do with you or me?" Iwelith's feet finally touched the floor, her hands were still pinned but she was sure that she had the power to pull them free if the opportunity presented itself.

Casarius slumped to the ground next to Jitta, he put his arms around her and worked at pulling the blood matted hair out of her face.

"A Sith came to my village to take me, but the Jedi tried to stop him. I did not understand anything, but I knew that they both had power, children hear stories. When the fight was finally over, one thought came to me, do you know what it was?" Iwelith could sense his grip on the force waning. She had to keep him talking.

"No." She gently reached out, drawing in the force, while taking stock of her current surroundings.

"All that power is inside that Sarlacc, light and dark in one body." Iwelith blinked. "Every child knows that you don't die right away if a Sarlacc gets you. You are alive for a long time. So I wondered, as children do, if both of them were still at war inside the Sarlacc." Casarius stood up, his hands covered in Edz'a blood.

"The Jedi and Sith had started their fight in my village. Some of the elders tried to stop them from fighting. Do you know what happened? I think you do, collateral damage!" He tried to wipe away the sweat and dust from his face, but instead ended up with blood across his forehead.

"Ryloth!" He barked and Iwelith jumped. It was her focus that was cracking now. "Ryloth, tell me about your home Iwelith of the Jedi" his voice boomed again filled with the force. Iwelith backed up.

"It's, ah, Ryloth is big, beautiful; many of my people live in massive underground caves, there are huge pools of water, underground seas really. It's..." He shouted a visceral blast of anger.

"Why?! Do you live underground?" the metal barred window crumpled like paper, the metal screamed as it twisted.

"Because," she clawed at what was left of her hold on the force, and tried to focus. Her mind had started down the path he was providing. She tried to fight, but she could see the path taking shape in her mind.

"Why?!" He growled. A section of the wall, where the window had been, fell away. Iwelith backed up, and in a moment, they were both outside. From outside, she could see that the small house was now listing to one side. It started to rain.

"It's because Ryloth is tidal locked!" She screamed. "Half of the world is frozen in darkness, the other half blasted in sunlight and heat." Iwelith croaked, her voice dying quickly. "Only by living in the area between these two, can life survive." This last was barely more than a whisper. She was uncertain if he would hear her over the sound of the rain. Her mind screamed, warning her not to listen.

"I know what you are trying to do, but I am a Jedi. There is no passion, there is serenity." She began. Her voice barely a whisper bereft of conviction. Rain ran down her face. Casarius closed the distance between them, locking her eyes with his.

"Did you read the book I gave you?" He reached out lifting her chin gently with his hand. Iwelith looked up, met his gaze, and saw compassion.

"It was as you suggested, an ancient Jedi manuscript, it belongs in a Jedi temple." Iwelith stepped back, freeing herself from his touch. 'I am a Jedi, Master Benz help me, please.'

"That manuscript was from before Odan-Urr. He changed the original Jedi code, to the one you know today." Casarius lifted his face to the gentle rain, took a breath.

Emotion, yet peace.

Ignorance, yet knowledge.

Passion, yet serenity.

Chaos, yet harmony.

Death, yet the Force.

"The code, you and all Jedi learn, is not the original. It removes room to accept that there can be emotion, yet peace. Passion, yet serenity." Casarius stretched out his open hand, there was movement from within the house, and an object shot through the air into his waiting hand.

"The men in your vision, the men I watched die all those years ago were locked in a cycle that has been allowed to go on for thousands of years. Perpetuated on your kind and mine to ensure that old men and women stay in power, while others fight their battles for them, all the while, countless lives are lost as collateral damage." Iwelith looked at Casarius' outstretched hand. He held her lightsaber, slowly he opened his grip, and let it sit there.

"You have the force, can you feel the truth within me." His voice was suddenly empty, and calm. Iwelith could tell he had let go of the force. At this moment, he was just a man.

"Search your feelings, listen to the force. It does not have to be this way, there is another path." He took a breath and smiled at her. Minutes passed as the rain poured down on them.

"You know the truth; even now I can feel it in you. You cannot return to what you were."

You have nowhere else to go. Kill me or join me." He let the words hang. Casarius took Iwelith's hand and gently placed her lightsaber in it. He turned and knelt facing the house.


	3. Chapter 3 Truth

Chapter 3 Truth

Never in her life had Iwelith felt so conflicted. She should hate this man, everything she had learned in the last fourteen years told her that he was the enemy, but that knowledge only proved his point. Her mind raced, trying to find an alternate path. She reached out to the force. As it filled her, she stilled her mind, let time fall away while she worked to review her thoughts and feelings. It was a Jedi skill, one she had relied on frequently during her training.

Her review completed, she noticed that the rain had stopped. Villagers were still moving about, but the fear she felt from them was dissipating. She was still unsure; she needed more, more from the force, and more from this man. Iwelith sat down in the mud in front of Casarius. His eyes were still closed, a look of peace upon his face, if that was truly possible for a Sith

"I need more." Iwelith said, it was little more than a whisper. Casarius opened his eyes and looked up into hers.

"I have nothing more to give you. This is your life. It must be your choice. Anything I say to influence you now will be a wedge between us in the future. This I cannot allow." He closed his eyes again.

"You said I was supposed to be the one. What did you mean?" her voice was calm almost gentle. Iwelith held the force, wrapped it around herself and over Casarius. She could feel his heartbeat. More importantly, this close to him, with his defenses down, she could feel his emotions, and his connection to the force. If he tried to use it to cover a lie or manipulate her, she would feel it. She hoped.

"Since before you were born, I have seen your face. Many times when I was quiet, when I was open to the force, the force granted me a vision. Searching the future is never certain, so many ebbs and flows, but one thing was constant. Your face, and the knowledge that you would understand. That is all I can tell you." Casarius kept his eyes closed. Iwelith could feel that there was something else. She let her senses flow into his words. Opening herself to the force, she grasped at his last words, felt the last whisper of his vision. She grabbed at it, twisted a thread of the force around it, and gently pulled. This was not something she had been taught, this was desperation fueled by doubt. Her mind settled once again as she felt the vision solidify.

The vision settled on her like a fresh coat of snow, it cooled her spirit calmed her mind. The gentle snow before her parted, and she could see her mother sitting with her in their house. Iwelith smiled and let the vision take full form. She could now see Casarius crouched in the corner, a smile on his face as he watched the family scene unfold.

A moment later, the scene changed. Casarius was watching as Iwelith was loaded onto the slavers shuttle. He was trapped on the edge of the scene, his hands outstretched, flashes of force energy blasting at the slavers to no avail, they could not see him, and the tendrils of blue force lightning did not reach them. Even through the vision, she could feel his rage and sorrow as he watched her being taken from her family. Watched as she was treated like property.

Time moved quicker now as the vision began moving through the years. She watched as the vision replayed parts of her Jedi training. Through it all, Casarius was there watching over her.

Iwelith willed herself closer to him unsure if such things were possible. As the path of her life unfolded, she found herself moving closer to him until she was standing behind him, close enough to reach out and touch him.

As the vision moved closer to the present, the colors became more vivid, sounds were less muffled. There was something else though, there was an emotion flowing off of Casarius as he watched her. Without thinking Iwelith reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder. Her heart began to pound in her chest as she felt something from him. It was a need, the most desperate feeling of need. It made her sweat as if in a fever. Her breathing deepened, the need was inescapable, powerful, and unlike anything she had ever felt before. As this feeling crept into her soul, the connection to the vision, to the force, wavered. As the images of her life began to jumble, the vision of Casarius turned to see her, he reached out as if to steady her. There was a sudden flash as his arms wrapped around her, they were falling now, darkness all around them.

Her eyes snapped open, she was still shaking, her mind raced with what she had seen, more so from what she had felt. Iwelith was not worldly, Jedi were not permitted to be, and strong feelings were discouraged as they often led to the dark side. None the less, she had understood what it was to have strong emotions, but she had never felt such a strong sense of need. It was so strong, recalling it threatened to overwhelm her. 'He needs me.' The thought did not do justice to the feeling. It was more than need; Iwelith struggled to come to terms with the feeling. 'He needs to possess me, he wants to...' Iwelith let go the thought as she felt color flow to her face. She blinked and stood quickly putting distance between herself and the Sith.

"Casarius, if I..." The words stuck in her throat. She looked up at the sky. Casarius stood.

"If you say yes, what's next? Is that what you are asking?" Iwelith listened for a hint of victory or smugness in his voice but found none. She nodded her head in agreement.

"We find a new path together." He paused for a moment, Iwelith could still sense that he had not taken up the force yet; he was still open, vulnerable. She hoped it was not a ruse. Her Jedi training told her that the most skillful of force users could hide their connection to the force so well that even the most skilled Jedi would not detect it. Iwelith was holding on to the hope that what she felt was accurate. She trusted that the vision she had seen was from the force and not from him.

"We complete your training, then we find others to join us on this new path. But first, we need to fix this." He pointed to Jitta sitting in the room of the damaged dwelling, now open to the outside. 'How can we fix this?' Iwelith thought.

"I need more time, you cannot ask me to undo all of my life in a moment." The words burned into her mind. Was she seriously considering turning her back on the Jedi? How had she come to this she wondered? Anger and fear slipped past her weak defenses.

"I have no more time to give you. Indecision is a decision, the Jedi understand this. Casarius took a step closer. Iwelith took a step back, being this close to him after the vision was uncomfortable. For the first time she could see in his eyes the need that was present in the vision. He took a step closer and grabbed her by the shoulders.

"I will not hurt you, but I, I need you to trust me. I need you to decide." Her face flushed again as his hands held her. Iwelith did not fully understand where the feeling came from, but it was sudden, it was raw, and it was stronger than she was. She struck him, hard, in the solar plexus. Casarius flipped over backwards and landed hard in the mud.

Iwelith clothed herself in the force and shot forward. Casarius lay there in the mud motionless. Iwelith stood over him, he raised a hand to protect himself and Iwelith grabbed it. With a scream, she heaved, powered by the force Iwelith watched as the Sith flew twenty feet before crashing into the jungle foliage.

Iwelith moved through the air in a force assisted leap, landing almost on top of Casarius. She grabbed a handful of his robe and lifted him up as her other hand came down smashing into his face.

"I am to be a Jedi!" Anger and rage flooded her. Her fist hit him again. There was no resistance, just his eyes looking into hers. She hit him again, a dull thwack as her fist hit him. His cheek split open under the punishment. Once again, she heaved him further into the jungle. Branches cracked as he flew through the brush. He hit the ground, rolled over, and tried to stand. Iwelith raced forward her movement aided by the force, she was nearly silent, and deadly fast. Casarius came to his feet and turned, his robes were torn and one arm hung by his side. His eyes looked into her again.

Anger, rage, fear, and doubt possessed her. Iwelith slammed him to the ground again. "Stop looking at me like that! I am to be a Jedi Knight!" She picked him up as if he weighed nothing and threw him further into the jungle, racing after him as his body was in flight. He crashed to the ground again, this time motionless. Iwelith rolled him over, he looked dead. Any normal person would be, but this man was not normal. Tears rolled down Iwelith's face. The force flickered in the back of her mind as she struggled with emotions stronger than any she had faced before.

Anger, certainty, recognition, and truth filled her. She dropped to her knees beside his limp body, her fists began to beat on his chest, but there was no strength to them. "Why me, I was to be a Jedi Knight!" 'I was to be a Jedi Knight' she thought.

"Because, I need you, I can't do this alone." Only one eye opened, half of his mouth smiled at her. His good hand reached up to touch her face. "Because if not you, then who? And if not now, when?" He coughed, and blood dribbled down his face. Iwelith, as if coming out of a daze, realized what she had done, cradled his head, and tried to sit him up.

Iwelith reached out to the force and surrendered. She silently gave up her hopes, dreams, and desires. Not to this man, but to the force. It was the force that gave him a vision, and the force that allowed her to see it, to understand it. Iwelith, of the Jedi, gave up her title to the force, surrendered all her connections, and silently prayed to the force as she once had to the Twi'lek Great Mother. 'I give you all I am, the good and the bad. Keep what you will, and give back what you will.' Iwelith knew at that moment what her prayer meant, understood in the deep quiet places where dreams swim behind our conscious rational mind. Iwelith knew she was no longer to be a Jedi.

Iwelith was not sure how long she had sat there in the jungle, cradling the body of a Sith in her arms. When she came back to herself there was peace. No more conflict, just peace. Casarius was unconscious in her arms. Iwelith reached out with the force, and found a jungle vine that was full of water, She plucked it with a flick of her hand and pulled the loose end to her. Water flowed freely from the end which she placed against Casarius' mouth. He coughed and sputtered, then drank. His eyes fluttered a bit, then his right eye opened. It was sharp, clear, and penetrating.

"I am glad to see you are awake." Iwelith former slave, former Jedi apprentice, paused for a moment. "Master, we need to get you up and your wounds attended to." Iwelith picked up her master and began carrying him out of the jungle.

"Wait, that way, please." He gestured slightly with his good hand. Iwelith turned without hesitation. They traveled on for a few minutes before coming to a makeshift clearing in the jungle. There in the open was an imperial interceptor, Fury class, if Iwelith was not mistaken.

Casarius reached down to his belt, he fumbled with one of the small pouches for a moment until there was a satisfying beep. An access ramp dropped down from the interceptor, and a protocol droid came down to meet them.

"Master what has happened to you?!" The protocol droid was in obvious distress over the appearance of its master.

"2V-R8, this is my apprentice Iwelith. Ensure she has full code access to the ship. Please show her to the med bay." Casarius passed back into unconsciousness in Iwelith's arms. She followed the droid into the ship. It began a long stream of introductions, blabbering on about following its orders, and ensuring her that all would be in order almost immediately. She ignored it.

The ship itself was impressive, far more advanced, at least in appearance, to the Jedi vessels she had seen. The droid directed her to put the master on the medical table. She placed his body on the table, and watched silently, as the medical droid built into the ships bay began stripping away his clothes and assessing the damage. Damage she had inflicted. 'Why didn't he protect himself?' she wondered.

Perhaps, she thought, it had to do with the feeling she had felt from him. The vision had been so strong, the feeling of need radiating off of Casarius was unlike anything she had felt before. Recalling it brought a flush to her face, not that anyone would notice it against her red skin.


	4. Chapter 4 Master

Chapter 4 Master

"How long have I been unconscious?" Casarius asked. "At this time, eight hours thirty-four minutes my Lord." The droid began changing the healing gels on the Sith's face.

"How do you feel?" Iwelith caught herself. "Master" she added. Iwelith was looking at the medical readouts, it was part of her attempt to avoid eye contact with the Sith. Odd that she still thought of him as "the Sith" when she had also begun addressing him as Master, she thought.

"2V-R8 attend me." Casarius worked to prop himself up on one arm. He tested the med droids work on his wounded arm, and was gratified with the results. 2V-R8 entered the room as quickly as the protocol droid could manage. "Yes Master, I am gratified to see you awake. I was not looking forward to serving anyone else." Casarius cut him off. "Bring me the data pad marked XR424-V, quickly." 2V-R8 ran out of the med bay without comment.

"Iwelith the data pad is for you. Please read it as quickly as you can." Casarius lay back down. 2V-R8 waddled back into the room with the data pad in hand. Casarius motioned for him to give it to Iwelith, which he did.

Iwelith gave it a cursory review. "This looks like a history, or personal journal?" she continued to review it, but did not look up. "Yes it is mine; it will furnish you with a detailed account of what I have been." Iwelith looked up, meeting his gaze for the first time since she attacked him.

"Why? If you will forgive my asking, Master?" she asked. Casarius searched her eyes.

"You have taken your first step onto a new path, but before you can fully commit, you must understand." He was interrupted by a rack of coughing. The med droid administered medication, and watched readouts on a number of medical terminals.

"I will not touch the force until you fully appreciate who I have been, and what I have done. Hopefully you will also come to appreciate what it has taken for me to change, as you have now done. If not, I will be in no shape to stop you from finishing what you started out in the jungle." Iwelith could sense his pain, she was still not sure if he was holding the force, she did not truly care, but she was not going to admit that to him, yet.

"I will read quickly, Master." Iwelith gave him a thin smile. Casarius closed his eyes again.

Four hours later, Iwelith finished the journal and found herself shaking. Her new Master was not just Sith, but an inquisitor, who had spent years torturing and breaking the most hardened enemies of the Sith. He had been born a human slave, was trained on Korriban, and rose within Sith ranks, over a number of years. Casarius had provided a detailed list of what could only be called atrocities.

Iwelith had watched the first few torture recordings and skipped the rest. The volume of material required that she use the force to speed through it. Using the force to read, or review information, had the normally beneficial effect of locking it into one's memory, certainly a negative, in this case.

"Master, I have finished reading your journal." Iwelith felt that he was awake, his eyes both opened at the sound of her voice. He put out his hand and Iwelith placed the data pad in it. Casarius tapped at the main screen and the device beeped, flashed and began to smoke. He opened his hand the data pad floated over to the recycle bin, collapsing into a broken mess of metal before it dropped into place. Clearly Casarius had taken hold of the force. He sat up and ordered the droid to remove the bandages.

"My lord you are not fully healed yet, I cannot guarantee." Casarius raised a hand and the droid stopped talking. Casarius smiled at Iwelith.

"You now know who I am, and what I have been. What have you to say?" Iwelith stood next to the medical bed. She looked into his eyes for a moment, as if taking stock, putting together all that she had read, and what she saw in this man's eyes.

"The only thing that has changed is my understanding of the words evil, and Sith." Iwelith paused for a moment, to reign in her fear. He did not react to her comments. "You have been true to your word, and I have done you more harm than you have me." She broke eye contact for a moment.

'There is a part of me that understands that you are capable of manipulation at a level I did not think possible. Am I a dupe? An experiment in manipulation?' Iwelith's thoughts begged for voice, but she gave them none.

"You laid out a path before me that I did not want to see. I was afraid, there is a part of me that is still afraid. But, when I look inside, when I search your words, my feelings..." Iwelith stepped back from Casarius, he could see her internal struggle, but he remained silent.

"...Each time the answer is the same. You are right, there has to be another way, a path that does not involve a never ending battle between Jedi and Sith." Iwelith knelt before Casarius and offered him her lightsaber. "A path that does not include another thousand years of needless bloodshed. I want to walk on that path, Master."

Casarius swung his legs off the med bed and turned to face Iwelith. He grabbed her gently by the shoulders, and pulled her to her feet. Iwelith was slow to meet his eyes, somewhere she was afraid that she would see glowing eyes filled with evil satisfaction staring back at her. She was caught off guard when she saw pride instead.


	5. Chapter 5 passion

Chapter 5 Passion

Casarius stood up, he lifted his eyes upward. For a moment, there was nothing, then Iwelith could feel the force growing in him. It was more than she had felt before.

It built until the room was filled with it, Iwelith found her skin tingling with the excess power coming from Casarius. His bandages fell away, and all traces of his wounds vanished. Even his face looked renewed, Iwelith knew that some Sith could heal, but she had never seen it done, and had always been led to believe that it came with a cost. There was no sign of a cost, at least that she could see.

Fully restored, Casarius stripped off his medical gown, and began putting on the clothing that 2VR8 had brought in earlier. Iwelith looked elsewhere while he dressed.

The clothing he wore now bore no resemblance to what he had been wearing over the last few weeks. The simple clothing covered with a plain dark robe were now replaced by leather boots and gloves. In place of the plain robe was a more ornate robe made of a heavier material that had a dark shine to it.

His belt was adorned in runic symbols, Iwelith could have sworn that the design was intended to draw ones' attention to his lightsaber. Casarius stretched out his arms, paused a moment, then began a series of deep breathing and stretching movements. Iwelith watched in silence. A few minutes later, Casarius completed his stretching. Without a word, he exited the medical bay, Iwelith followed him.

The ship was impressive, it had a dark interior with red lighting. There was a smell like some kind of incense, the pungent scent was present, but only barely so, it had the effect of making one breathe deeply, as if doing so would somehow help you identify it. Iwelith reached out with the force, she let the force float across the ship like disembodied fingers feeling their way as she went. She felt something gently dark, yet warm at the same time. It was inviting, like a favorite blanket on a cold night. It lay across everything she touched with the force.

An alarm went off in her head, and she snapped back to the moment. Casarius was standing in front of her, his arms crossed over his chest. She realized that she had been standing in the common area of the ship as if lost in a dream.

"Sorry master, I felt something, something warm yet..." Iwelith cleared her throat and noticed the frown on Casarius' face.

"It's Drommund Kaas, the air here is alive with the dark side. With all you have been through, with what I have put you through, you are vulnerable. It will pass, but for now be mindful of your feelings, my apprentice. It would be all too easy for you to find your way down dark paths right now." He motioned her to follow, then headed through a sliding door.

Iwelith stepped through the door into a spacious and luxurious cabin, his she presumed. Iwelith stepped forward and touched the covering on the bed. It was a rich silk material; no expense was spared in any part of this ship it seemed.

"Take off your clothes." Casarius was pulling open the doors on a locker set in the wall.

Iwelith's left eyebrow shot up in an arch. "Pardon me?" she did not dignify the question with the obligatory 'Master'.

Casarius smiled. He pulled out a bundle of clothing, and placed it on the bed. "Please put these on, I cannot have my apprentice seen in torn dirty clothing. It would ruin my image."

Iwelith removed the silk ribbon wrapped around the bundle of clothing. She pulled out a pair of armored knee high boots. 'Very nice' she thought. There was also a long black robe, and a one-piece top. The robe was of a medium weight, and the material was rich. It was not as rich as silk, but neither was it as coarse as the Jedi robes she had worn for so many years. The trim was a deep purple, in several places there were runes of the deepest red.

Iwelith lay the robe on the bed and picked up the top. There was not much in the way of material. The top was black in color with some gold trim. It had a thick tight knit mesh material six or seven inches wide that ran from the middle of her back down across her buttocks up over her crotch to the bottom of her breasts before extending in width to about nine or ten inches. Many thin, but sturdy cords held the panel of material in place, wrapping from front to back across her sides. Iwelith could tell that although this would cover her breasts it would leave a good portion of them out for public view. It would also leave the majority of her body on display. From the side, she would look almost naked, with the exception of the cords.

In truth, the outfit would be considered modest wear for a Twi'lek on most worlds, but Iwelith had spent most of her life among the Jedi, where this outfit would have been considered scandalous to say the least.

"Well don't be shy. Go ahead and put it on." Casarius smiled at her once again.

"Once you leave the room, I will, Master" she smiled back at him with her most indifferent expression.

"No. It is obvious that you are unaccustomed to situations such as this. Embarrassment is a minor emotion, certainly safer than hate or fear." He sat down on the end of the bed and crossed his hands in his lap.

"Balance requires that you experience emotions, but as I told you earlier, we need to be mindful of what you feel first. Anger, and fear, these we need to stay away from until you are ready.

For now, embarrassment and perhaps some sexual tension." His smile climbed up one side of his face. Iwelith felt her face flush at his comments.

"These feelings may be uncomfortable, but they are safe." His smile faded, he let his body lay out on the end of the bed waiting for her to disrobe. Iwelith felt another flush coming on, she reached out, and stilled it with the force. Another moment to bury the remaining feelings as she had done almost every day, during her years as an apprentice.

Her feelings under control she removed her Jedi garments. She had availed herself of the ships luxurious accommodations while Casarius had been unconscious in the med bay. Iwelith had not been able to bathe during her captivity, so the first opportunity she had was not missed. She had scrubbed until her skin practically shone. She would have regretted that now if her feelings were not under control.

Her clothes now lay on the floor, Iwelith paused to ensure that Casarius had an opportunity to see her body. To see that she was not embarrassed or ashamed. To her surprise, the outfit went on easily, hugging her curves like a second skin. She pulled on the boots slowly, they had a soft inner lining that was also pleasant against her skin. They fit marvelously, as if they had been measured for her.

She moved and stretched in the clothing to get a sense of its fit and was surprised to find, that in spite of appearances, the garment did not impede movement, in any noticeable way.

Iwelith turned her gaze to Casarius only to find a frown fixed upon his face. "You are not listening apprentice." His voice was low, his face had changed, it now bore a Sith quality to it.

'I am never going to get used to that' Iwelith thought. She did note, however, that his voice held disappointment, not anger.

He stood, closed the distance between them, and gently placed his hands on her bare shoulders.

"You cannot walk this path by burying your feelings. That is the Jedi way. You must learn to face them, even embrace them." He drew her closer, his face now a hands width from hers.

"All your life you have been told that 'fear leads to the dark side', yet at the same time, you are taught to bury your emotions, you are taught that any strong emotion is to be feared. It is similar for the Sith, we are taught that any positive emotion is weakness, and weakness means death." He leaned in close to her ear, lowered his voice and whispered, "I want you to let go of the force, free your emotions. Take off your clothes, and stand there, until I tell you to put them back on." His breath in her ear caused a tingle down her side.

"Do not be afraid. I am here with you my apprentice. I have not waited all this time just to see you slip and fall into the darkness." His cheek touched hers, his lips rested against her ear.

"I want you to reach out and feel my emotions as well, understand?" he pulled back so that they were eye to eye. Iwelith nodded her understanding. Casarius took two steps back from her and then motioned her to begin. "And for pity sake, stop worrying, I am an observer only." He chuckled then clasped his hands behind his back. "See, hands to myself."

Iwelith took a breath, and slowly let the force flow away from her feelings. Her heart beat furiously in her chest. Her hands slowly removed the garment letting it slip to the floor. She stood in front of Casarius naked, a raw nerve.

His eyes were like water, running across her flesh. She could see them following each curve, across her breasts, down her side, gently they wandered over her stomach then down. His eyes paused a moment then followed the same path back to her eyes.

"Trust yourself, do not be afraid. Tell me what you feel." His voice was gentle, but firm. Iwelith took a deep breath and worked to understand her feelings. This too was a Jedi mind exercise, but one she had never used like this before. It was used to quickly identify strong emotion, and then purge them with the force. This time she was to focus only on the feeling.

Warm, she felt warm, standing naked before this man, her heart raced. Her mouth was dry, Iwelith was certain that her voice would crack if she tried to speak. She probed deeper into her mind. The flood of feeling, threatened to overwhelm her. Jedi were not permitted physical intimacy, they were taught to understand it, to know the signs that lead to it, and then suppress it. Iwelith had never broken the rules, some Jedi did, but it was rare. She had, on a few occasions, felt the pangs of physical desire, but had dutifully extinguished them with the force.

"I feel embarrassment, shame. She whispered. "I have never been, like this in front of a man." She paused. 'Infuriating man!' she thought.

"And anger, no doubt, at me, for making you do this, yes? No matter." He smiled "Please, continue. Open yourself to the force, see and feel all the emotions in the room."

Iwelith took a deep breath and reached out with the force. Swimming around in her head, the emotions were blaring loud, each with its own sound, color, and smell. Years of mental control and meditation focused a Jedi's ability to visualize emotions. This was needed to manage them with the force.

Embarrassment, shame, and something sexual, that she did not fully understand, those were hers. Drowning them all out was a powerful hunger that made her head spin, it threatened to consume her. She focused on it, and it slowly came into view, she could smell it, taste it in her heart, it was white hot. Iwelith's eyes blinked and focused on Casarius. His face was without expression, but it was his hunger. It was not her feeling, threatening to deafen her, but his.

'He said he needed me, needed me to be the one to understand. But it's more than that' Iwelith reached out again, it only took a sliver of the force to focus the feeling. The hunger was as much physical as anything else. Reflexively Iwelith covered herself with her arms.

"You need me." She whispered. Casarius exhaled and stepped away from her until his back was against the wall. "Yes. I need you, all of you." His eyes gazed at the floor, and he motioned her to dress.

Iwelith dressed as quickly as she could. "Why?" she asked, Iwelith needed to know, but was afraid of the answer.

"I am thirty-four. The visions of you began more than twenty years ago." He looked up, his gaze moving over her body, before meeting her eyes.

"You recall what I told you? That the force, the vision, your race, and even your home, were all parts that had prepared you to come to the truth, yes?" his voice was quiet, it sounded almost tired.

"Yes master. Without all of those pieces I do not think I would have been able to see the truth. I could not have found my way alone." A question suddenly loomed. 'What had drawn this Sith to the truth, what had drawn him out of the darkness?' Iwelith wondered.

As if in answer to her unspoken question. "Consider what it was like for me." He straightened himself, but remained pressed against the wall.

"When the force visions first came, they were bits and pieces of your early life. Each time you suffered, or were hurt, I felt your pain, felt for you. For Sith, those feelings are death. I hated you for the longest time, I thought the force was showing me that I was weak, not fit to be Sith." His fists were clenched. Iwelith sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Each time you stirred my emotions, I made someone else suffer. My weakness, my feelings for you fueled such rage, that my work was hailed as visionary. If they only knew. It took years for me to see more, to feel more. Once I surrendered to those feelings, they only grew stronger. What we accomplished here, with you, in a few weeks, took the force more than ten years to do with me.

Iwelith was not sure if she wanted to hear anymore. This Sith was suggesting that she was the reason he turned from the dark side. His need, his hunger for her, had been strong enough to pull an Inquisitor of the Sith out of the darkness.

"What I felt from you." Iwelith stood, backed away from the bed. "It was hunger, is that how Sith love?"

"What do a Jedi and a Sith know about love? I doubt either of us understand it, as the uninitiated do." There was a weak smile on his face. Iwelith desperately wanted to retreat into the safety of the force. Her emotions were raw, it was almost painful.

"Love? Perhaps, I cannot say for certain, but hunger, yes, I hunger for you, all of you." He let out a sigh, and brushed at some imaginary wrinkle in his clothing. Iwelith could still feel the hunger in him, it made her hurt for him. She wanted to tell him she was sorry for causing this, but she did not know how.

"Because of you, I am no longer the man I once was." He his gaze fell away from her. "You have nothing to fear from me, my apprentice." His smile was back, but this time it did not bother her, she was relieved to see it.

Casarius turned to face the wall, he pressed on five different points and a panel slid aside. There was a dimly lit compartment with an ornate looking wooden box. He withdrew the box, and the panel slid back into place.

"When you gave up your connection to the Jedi, you surrendered part of yourself to me, and again when you first called me Master. Now I offer you this, a small token of my affection." He presented the wooden box to Iwelith. "Each journey, no matter how long, is but a series of small steps. In taking this, you surrender a little more of yourself to me, my apprentice."

Iwelith took the box from his hands, and sat down on the bed. To say it was ornate was an injustice. It bore a single Jedi rune, it was an old form, but one she recognized from her training, 'Shadow'.

Iwelith gently lifted the lid, inside was a lightsaber. It lay in a bed of rich, black silk.

"I have watched you train, watched you move, all of your life. This saber is built to fit you. Its form, and its weight, will compliment your fighting style."

Iwelith pulled it from its box, and felt it in her hand. Everything about it felt right, balance, weight, everything. How could he know her this well? She activated the saber, and took a sharp breath in; the blade was blood red. Among the Jedi the red blade was synonymous with the dark side.

"Red does not mean you are evil, it's simply a disguise. You are, after all, living in imperial territory. A lone Jedi blade will draw unnecessary attention as we travel. Please tell me you will accept it." 'Odd that this is a request, and not an order' Iwelith thought.

His logic was sound, however, where were they going? What his plans were, Iwelith did not know, but she did understand that looking like a Jedi would complicate matters indeed.

"It is beautiful, my Master, I will wear it always, thank you." That her thank you was genuine pleased him, she could tell. That she meant it, made her feel good also. It was a strange thing, to feel this strongly without suppressing the emotion.

Iwelith felt good, and was not afraid to feel good. She felt a smile curl across her face, and made no attempt to hide it. A thought crossed her mind.

"Master, you have the power you can take..." Casarius raised his hand cutting her off midsentence.

"No. I have waited all these years, I will wait however long it takes. With each day, with each step along this new path, you surrender more of yourself to me. One day, you will come to me and surrender completely." Iwelith was not sure if his voice was full of confidence, or if he was trying to convince himself.

Iwelith felt a resurgence of the hunger emanating from her master. It was like a blast of hot air from the day side of her home world. If you were caught it in for too long it would consume your flesh leaving only bone.

"You are most certainly not what I expected. I mean no disrespect, Master, but I was led to believe that Sith lived in secrecy never letting other Sith know their true desires"

"Do you believe that I am weakened because of my feelings for you?" That he would say it so matter of fact surprised her, took her aback, in fact.

"No, Master, I just... it's just that I did not expect you, as a Sith, to be so open." Iwelith found herself bowing her head, as she did with Master Benz. It was the first time it had felt natural, not forced.

"I will go a step further; I don't just hunger for you, I am desperate for you, to hold you, to possess you, all of you, body, mind, and spirit. I tell you this to honor my promise. I will always do my best to tell you the truth. Where I cannot, I will do my best to explain, why not." Casarius moved close to Iwelith placing his hand on hers.

"Enough of this. We have work to do. Come let us begin." Without waiting for her, he headed out of the room, and down a corridor to a cargo area.

Iwelith followed. The cargo area was clean, and organized. In the middle of the room, attached to a collection of cables and machines, were two stasis pods.

"What are we doing master?" Iwelith watched as he activated a set of dials and controls on the first pod. It hissed and snapped as the pod slid open. Inside was a body, wires, and other apparatus, that were attached to the body at various points.

Iwelith was filled with a sudden rush of emotion as she saw that the girl in the pod was Edza.


	6. Chapter 6 Edza

Chapter 6 Edza

"How is this possible?" Iwelith felt a sense of happiness, and foreboding, at the same time. She took a step closer to the open chamber to remove all doubt. It was Edza.

"Recent research has taken me in a number of directions. Fortunately one of them afforded me access to cloning technology. Iwelith's heart sank, this was a clone. That meant Edza was truly gone.

"The technology does not have the required delicacy to allow for a detailed copy. Technical skills, motor reflexes are not transferred cleanly, but the behavior and memories of a child are hardly complex." Casarius continued to work on the control panel. Iwelith struggled to deal with her emotions.

"Each evening as Edza slept, sensors in her head, and in the house, transferred the information of the day's events into the clone. When this one awakens her memory will be intact save a day or so." He completed the required adjustments to the pod systems, and began disconnecting the child from the machine.

He turned to Iwelith, and took her hands in his. "You will go back to the village, and do whatever is required to replace Edza's corpse with the clone." He gave her a reassuring smile and let go of her hands. Casarius lifted the child from the pod, and carried her out of the cargo bay, through the ship to the medical bay. There he gave her over to the care of the medical droid. Moments later she was covered in a warm blanket still sound asleep.

Casarius turned to Iwelith, taking her chin gently in his hand he looked into her eyes searching for something.

"You will use the force to control your fear, but you will accept and feel any other emotions. You understand yes? This is part of your training. Be mindful of your feelings, but do not fear them! Now go." He brushed the back of his hand gently across her cheek then turned to leave.

"Master! What shall I say, how will I explain?" she asked in desperation. Casarius smiled a wide smile.

"Lie, if you must. I usually find that a convenient truth beats a lie, but it is an acquired skill." His arm outstretched, he pointed a finger at her in warning. "Be careful, if you speak with Jitta though, the truth will not ease a mother's pain. It is, of course, your choice." And he was gone. Iwelith watched as he headed toward the bridge of the ship.

Iwelith hit the ramp button and waited as the ramped lowered. 'Lie? A convenient truth? Where do I start? Surprising, he sounds like many of the Jedi teachers at the academy.' she thought. The ramp lowered, and she headed down, and back into the jungle. The air was fresh, and the foliage wet with morning dew. Iwelith gathered the force around her, and let her mind run through a few of her regular Jedi meditation exercises. She was mindful to avoid any that would dull her senses.

Moments later, she was speeding through the jungle, it felt good to run. It was frowned upon to use the force when there was no urgent need. But, that was a Jedi teaching, and although she had accepted that as truth for years, it felt good to run, yes it felt good.

Iwelith reached the village invigorated by the sheer enjoyment of the run. She stopped short of the tree line to survey the area. For the most part, it looked like life had returned to normal. She did notice that the house that had been her prison had fallen in on itself. It was now a little more than a pile of rubble. Small surprise given the rage her master had loosed on it.

Iwelith always found it odd that so many technologically advanced worlds had primitive subcultures living in their proverbial backyards. This one was a typical example, the people were either too poor to afford technology, or chose to live without it.

Her heart pounded as she caught a glimpse of Jitta, she was walking beside an older man, he was talking with her, and holding her hand. Iwelith was about to step out of the trees when she remembered what she was wearing. Realization of her appearance caused her to hesitate. She took in the feeling as she had been instructed, but try as she may, she could not get the feeling to subside on its own. She tried for a moment longer then gave up. She simply had to surrender to the fact that this is what she was wearing, and it was better than nothing at all.

Iwelith stepped out of the tree line, and marched through the village, her head high. She had given thought to how she would get Jitta to surrender Edza's corpse and although she was not happy or proud of what she was about to do, it was necessary.

She ignored the looks that the villagers gave her as she walked between the buildings. Instead she focused on the force, and her plan. Iwelith walked up behind Jitta, but was hesitant to touch her, instead she reached out with the force and let a whisper of her presence touch Jitta, she turned almost immediately. The elder with her also turned to meet her, both were clearly surprised to see her. Jitta let out a string of words that Iwelith did not understand, she didn't need to be told their meaning, she could feel the pain and anger in Jitta's voice. Emotions so strong they rolled off of Jita.

Her barriers down, the emotions slammed into Iwelith, the pain of loss overwhelmed her momentarily. The smell of pain, and anger, forced her to step back. "My child you must forgive Jitta she is in great pain, it may be best that you leave." The elder spoke as he wrapped his arms around Jitta's shoulders.

"You speak basic! Please you must help me make her understand, I can help Edza." She pleaded. The elder spoke softly to Jitta for a moment. Jitta turned away and headed off deeper into the village. The elder tucked his hands into the simple garments he wore.

"You no longer look like a prisoner, have you killed the Sith or..?" he asked, the tone of his voice was even, but it betrayed the fact that he already knew the answer. He watched Iwelith's face waiting for her response.

"The Sith, is no longer my enemy, and we are both sorry for what happened here. We only wish to make it right. Please let me help!" Iwelith pleaded. The Elder took a step backwards, it was only then, that Iwelith realized that she had closed the gap between them, her posture had frightened him.

"Strange that I should feel sincerity in your voice. Stranger still, that you now serve the Sith, and yet I sense no darkness in you." His words were matter of fact, and caused a chill to run down Iwelith's spine. 'He is force sensitive' she thought, 'that would answer why he was hiding in a primitive village, possibly the only place to hide from the Sith. The only way to avoid being sent to Korriban. But if he is hiding, why reveal himself to me?' Iwelith wondered.

"I can return Edza to her mother, please you must have faith. Trust that I mean no harm, and trust the force." Iwelith knew that from her perspective the words were true.

"Ah you still talk like a Jedi young one, but we both know that your Sith Master does not possess power over death. No matter his connection to the force. Go, leave us to grieve in our way." He turned to leave, Iwelith grabbed his arm and pulled him back to face her. Iwelith could see other villagers moving towards the scene.

She narrowed her brow, and gave him her best impression of a Sith. "You take great risk talking to me like that. Sith are always looking for force sensitives." It was an idle threat, Iwelith had no intention of turning over old man to the Sith, she just wanted to get his attention. The Elder smiled at her, and gently removed her hand from his wrist.

"The Sith know where I am, my connection to the force is of insufficient value to them. Besides you have no intention of hurting me, I can feel that much." He waved his hand at the approaching villagers and muttered words of assurance in their language. They bowed and reluctantly turned away, leaving them to continue their conversation.

"My life has been interesting and complicated due to this minor affinity I have for the force. I would not be exaggerating if I called it a blessing and a curse. It brought me here and has afforded me some minor wisdom, which the villagers appreciate. Here I am useful and needed, in the end it's all a simple man such as myself can hope for." He chuckled and took Iwelith by the arm guiding her through the village as they talked.

"Now my child, tell me your story, and how is it that you believe you can help?" They walked slowly through the village, as they walked Iwelith told him of her life, how she had been sold as a slave, and then rescued by the Jedi. She told him of her training, and how she eventually came to this place as a prisoner. Iwelith contemplated a lie, and in the end, she surrendered to the truth.

"A clone you say?" He whispered. The elder pulled at his chin as if it would provide clarity. He let go Iwelith's arm, and clapped his hands together.

"I will help you, and I will have little guilt of the lie, it will ease Jitta's pain and heal a deep wound." He smiled as they reviewed the plan.

Jitta and Edza had been brought to the village months ago by the Sith, the house they lived in had been built at his direction. Jitta and Edza were a welcome addition to the village, the elder spoke their language, as he had spent a number of years travelling the outer rim colonies, where Jitta and Edza were from.

Their religion required rituals not uncommon to many species, in particular, there was a requirement that the body is watched over for a number of days by family or friends. Tonight the elder would arrange to take a watch, Iwelith would slip in during his watch and make the switch. Later Iwelith would ask to see the body and put on a display of the force, and awaken the girl.

Their plan in place, the elder walked Iwelith out of the village. "I just realized, I don't know your name?" Iwelith said. The elder chuckled. "My name is Tren V'Kar." He put out his hand. Iwelith took it in hers gently, and shook. "I am pleased to have met you Iwelith." He said.

"Would you mind if I asked you a question or two Tren?" They had arrived at the edge of the village, the jungle stretched out before them. "Please ask away." Tren offered. Iwelith asked him about the Sith, when had he first arrived in the village, did anyone know why he brought two slaves with him? Tren told Iwelith what he could, it had been some months ago, four perhaps five, when the Sith first arrived. Tren recalled that the Sith had marched into the village and demanded to meet with the elders. He directed that a house be built, and had left, only to return once it was nearing completion. When he moved in, he already had Jitta and Edza with him.

Iwelith was surprised to find that they were not slaves, rather they had been, but the Sith had freed them.

"Are you sure?" Iwelith asked. "I spoke to Jitta at some length, and she confirmed that the Sith had purchased her, and had asked about a small child. When Jitta heard the description, she told him it was her daughter Edza. She had been sold the day before the Sith arrived." Tren shook his head.

"What's wrong?" Iwelith asked. "I am sorry child, it is a disturbing story, I do not like to recall it. I can still feel it here." He poked at his heart. "When Jitta told me what happened, my gift, let me feel what she felt. Apparently, the Sith tracked down Edza's new owners, when they were not immediately thrilled with the idea of letting go their new prize, the Sith cut one down and tortured the other until he signed over the child to him. It made Jitta happy to have her daughter back, but she was still sickened by what she saw."

"I was sold once, I would lose little sleep if I were able to kill those who took me from my family. Well, I won't keep you any longer Tren, if all goes well, I will see you again in a few hours." Iwelith shook his hand again, and darted off into the jungle.


	7. Chapter 7 Akita

Chapter 7 Akita

Iwelith waited for the ramp to close behind her. Satisfied with the hiss of the locking seals she headed to the bridge. She stopped at the doorway, sitting in the command chair was her Master. A former Sith, who she was depending on, to guide her on this new journey. The same man, who had earlier confessed, to wanting her, in every way possible. It gave Iwelith a pain behind her eyes, and unsettled her, in ways she was not ready to consider.

"Master?" Iwelith waited. Casarius turned the chair to face her. He arched an eyebrow. "Yes apprentice, what is it? Iwelith noted a change in his tone. It was a tone she had heard many times before from Master Benz, he was distracted. "If now is not a good time, Master I can come back." Iwelith offered.

"I will always make time for you my apprentice." He said with a smile. "Thank you master, I just came for the clone, for Edza. I have about an hour, and then all should be in place." Casarius nodded his approval.

"If we have an hour, we have time to go over what comes next. Come." Casarius rose from the command chair, and headed past Iwelith into the common area. He took a seat, and called 2V-R8. The droid bustled into the room. "Yes, Master, how may I serve you?" Casarius asked 2V-R8 to bring food and drink. The droid moved immediately to fulfill the request.

"Sit my apprentice." He motioned for Iwelith to sit next to him. Iwelith sat across from him instead. Casarius smiled. "As you wish. First things first, my name is Ty'karus. Lord Ty'karus to some, Inquisitor Ty'karus to others. No doubt by now, you have noticed the change in my mannerisms, and the loss of my accent. Casarius and all the trappings, are an alias I sometimes use when travelling." 2V-R8 placed a large tray on the table, and slid himself into a dark space in a nearby alcove.

"My first name is Casius. If you wish, you may use my first name when we are alone, it is, of course, your choice my apprentice." He sipped at a golden liquid. Iwelith was not familiar with the smell, but it was not unpleasant.

"Now for your name." Ty'karus began but paused when he saw the look of confusion on Iwelith's face. "What's wrong with my name, Master?" Iwelith asked.

"I require, that is to say, you have begun a new life, a new journey. You could say you have been reborn. Such an occasion, requires a new name." He took another sip from the glass. Iwelith picked at the food on the tray as she gave his words some thought.

"What was your mother's name?" Ty'karus asked. Iwelith smiled as she thought of her mother. "Akita'Sharat, Akita means star, Sharat is our clan name." Iwelith took a bite from a small crispy roll, the taste was unfamiliar but pleasant.

"I like that, it is fitting." He cleared his throat and sat up stiffly. With a flourish of his hand, he motioned her to kneel before him. "From this day forth, you shall be known as Akita. Rise my apprentice Akita." Ty'karus gave her a beaming smile, and returned to his seat. Akita found herself smiling ear to ear at the whole affair.

"You should probably prepare for your return to the village. The sooner we are done here the better." He said. Akita felt something odd in the force, it was like the sound of a birds wings flittering in the wind. It settled in her stomach along with a sense of mild excitement.

"Where are we going next master?" Akita asked. Ty'karus pursed his lips slightly.

"I have to report to my master, then we are headed to your home my apprentice, Ryloth, to see your family. Now be on your way." Ty'karus stood and headed back to the bridge, taking the glass of golden liquid with him.

Akita's thoughts went off in all directions. 'Home, I am going home.' Long ago she had given up hope of seeing home again. To be a Jedi, she had been taught, was to give up feelings of home and family. 'To harbor thoughts of home and family is to open yourself to deep emotion, which leads to the dark side. Be mindful apprentice.' The words rang through her mind as they had a thousand times during her training. Akita rose and headed for the medical bay.

She reached out for the serenity of the force, she used it to settle her feelings, but as she had been ordered she did not bury them or ignore them. Akita entered the medical bay. "Good evening mistress" the medical droid greeted her. Akita leaned close to Edza's clone. She was not sure what she was looking for.

"I need to take her, is she ready to travel?" She asked. "Yes mistress, her vital signs are stable, and she should remain sedated for approximately thirty minutes." The droid slid back to the medical panel and slipped into hibernation, its work done.

"Well Edza, time for you to go home, time for both of us to go home." Akita smiled as she picked up the child. Even without the force, the child would not have been a burden. Akita moved to the ship's ramp with a sense of anticipation.

Akita reached the edge of the village without incident. She used the force to feel for anyone nearby before moving out of the protection of the jungle. The sense of anticipation grew, it did not feel wrong, rather it felt good, made her want to smile. 'Am I endangering myself? How can this really be wrong, when it feels so good' the thoughts drifted gently through her mind.

Someone was approaching from her right, she did not slow her pace, instead she reached out and removed herself from their mind. It was first time she had done so outside of training. It was gratifying to watch as the villager crossed her path before entering one of the huts. All without any indication that she had seen her.

'Just a little further' she thought. Two more villagers engaged in subdued conversation stepped out of a hut and walked past her just a few meters away. Again a gentle touch of the force, and they missed her standing in the shadows.

Akita reached out and touched the hut that held Edza's corpse. She could feel Tren inside alone , Akita touched his mind with a whisper. A moment later the door opened, and she darted in.

Akita stopped as her eyes fell on Edza's corpse. She had been washed and dressed in a simple dress. There were flowers in her hair. It pulled at Akita's heart, a lump formed in her throat. She let the feeling wash over her, but did not banish it.

"Come help me my child, we must be quick." Tren motioned Akita to help him remove the dress. It was too much for Akita, she could not touch Edza'a corpse with her hands. Instead she reached out with the force and gently lifted the little girl's body into the air. Tren took a step backwards in shock, understanding settled in and he patted Akita on the shoulder, and began the task at hand. Akita worked to maintain her grip on the force, in spite of the wave of grief that washed over her. At the same time, she maintained an awareness of the area around the hut. It would not do to be discovered.

Tren quietly cleared his throat. Akita opened her eyes. There lying on the mat was Edza, a living breathing Edza. Akita wasted little time; she picked up the corpse, checked the area once with the force, then darted back out into the dark. There was no need this time to hold back, it was impossible to do more harm to the body she carried. Akita entered a force run and headed back into the jungle. The force guided her through the darkness.

As she got closer to the ship, Akita could feel her master. He was waiting for her at the bottom of the ramp. As she approached, he rose from his meditative position and lowered the ramp. Akita did not speak as she walked up the ramp.

Once inside, they both made their way to the cargo bay. Akita placed Edza's corpse in the pod and stepped back. Ty'karus closed the pod and triggered the system. There was a hiss as the cover slid back into place.

Akita left the cargo bay and made her way back to the ramp. She would have to leave almost at once in order to get back in time. She hit the ramp button and was about to head down, when a wave of force touched her. It pulled the fatigue from her in an instant. She let go a gasp of relief as energy flowed into her. The sorrow building in her slid away and her mind cleared.

Akita turned to see her master standing behind her, two fingers at his temple, and his other hand outstretched toward her. He opened his eyes and smiled at her.

"As long as I am with you my apprentice, you are not alone. My strength is your strength. If you are wounded, I will heal you. If your heart is burdened I will lift it. Now go, we can talk when you get back." Akita raced down the ramp. The grief, the pain in her stomach, and throat, were all gone. She felt lighter, more sure of herself than she had in a long time. 'How is this possible from someone like him?' she thought. 'Has everything I have been taught been a lie?' Akita wanted to stop and think, but there was no time.

She reached the village. This time she did not stop, did not skulk. She strode through the village; reaching out with the force, she let her presence touch all those nearby. As she continued toward the hut with Edza and Tren she was gratified to feel villagers coming out of their huts, silently they fell in behind her.

Akita stopped only when she reached the hut and felt Tren and Jitta inside. Jitta opened the door and came out, Tren behind her. Jitta turned toward Tren and began shouting while pointing at Akita. The pain in her voice transcended the need for translation. Akita motioned for Tren to step out of the way which he did. Akita took a deep breath, and strode past Jitta, she entered the hut. She could sense several of the male villagers moving forward. Their emotions were soaring, anger and sadness filled them. Akita could not stop now. She picked up Edza, turned and exited the hut.

Four men rushed forward, two had long metal spears. Before they reached her, Akita walked to Jitta and thrust Edza into her arms. Jitta held the body close to her while she continued to scream at Akita.

Akita turned toward the approaching men, with a thought her lightsaber jumped into her hand, its bright red blade cut the darkness, casting a red sheen on everything nearby. The men fell back, but did not drop their weapons. The villagers who had gathered, likewise fell back, some turned and ran. Akita took two steps bringing her face to face with the now silent Jitta. She placed one hand on Edza's forehead and raised her lightsaber to the sky. She pulled the force into herself and let go a primal force augmented scream. It had the desired impact, most of the villagers fell to their knees, and the few that had been holding weapons dropped them. A moment later, there was silence.

Jitta screamed, and then began crying. Akita's shout had woken Edza from her sleep. Jitta was sobbing uncontrollably while running her hands over the back of Edza's head. Edza wrapped her arms around her mother's neck hugging her. Many of the villagers were now on their feet rushing forward to see the miracle. They were all shouting and reaching out to touch Edza, or provide supportive hugs to Jitta. Akita smiled at Tren, turned and walked back into the jungle.


	8. Chapter 8 At Your Mercy

Chapter 8 At your mercy

Akita was still feeling good as she walked back towards the ship. She was taking her time while trying to get her heart to settle down. Her face was starting to ache from the smile stuck on it. 'I cannot remember the last time I felt this happy.' She thought. What finally softened the smile was the thought of how her previous teacher, Master Benz, would react to her if he could see her now. 'Why is this wrong, how can being happy be wrong? How can the Jedi be so blind?' Akita froze in place. Painful realization set in. She no longer considered herself a Jedi.

"What would you say, my old teacher, if you were here right now?" she said out loud. A gentle breeze rustled through the trees. 'He would probably remind you that this child's death was part of the price for the emotions you are feeling right now apprentice.' Akita's smile faded. It was true Ty'karus was responsible, as much as she was. 'Why did he have clones? Did he know what was going to happen?' a sliver of panic settled over her as she resumed her journey back to the ship.

Ty'karus stood waiting for her at the base of the ramp, as he had before. She dropped to one knee, less than a meter from him. Akita bowed her head not willing to meet his gaze.

"Master, I have questions." She waited. Ty'karus reached down, cupped her chin in his hand, and gently lifted her face upward.

"I know my apprentice. Let us go inside and I will answer them as we prepare to leave." Akita stood and they both moved up the ramp.

The ramp hissed shut, Ty'karus headed for the bridge. Entering the bridge, he began a preflight. He was about to drop down into the commander's seat when he stopped. Ty'karus stepped back from the seat and motioned for Akita to sit.

"You are a more skilled pilot than I am, you will fly. I am led to believe that Jedi pilots are familiarized with Sith ships. This is correct, yes?" Akita could tell from her Master's voice that he already knew the answer.

In response, she took a moment to review the flight panel, then began the preflight. "Yes, Master, this is correct." She smiled.

"So ask your question my apprentice." The smile on his face had an odd twist to it; Akita tried to read him, but was still unsure what he was feeling.

"Why did you have clones of Jitta and Edza onboard? And what will you do with the Jitta clone?" Her voice was even and calm. Working through the preflight actually helped her focus.

"You will recall that I have been watching you for a long time. The visions were only strong when they centered on you." He paused, while he looked over her shoulder. 'Is he stalling, or just checking my work?' Akita wondered.

"The force visions surrounding Jitta and Edza were vague, at best. The only feeling that had certainty, was that they were both very important, and that death and sorrow followed them. My work for my Master gave me access to the technology, so I thought it prudent to be prepared. As for the clone of Jitta, it has never been conscious, never been truly alive. I will terminate it humanely" He walked to the co-pilot seat and sat down.

"Why don't you ask the question you are most afraid to ask?" He turned the co-pilot seat and faced her. Akita noticed that his eyes wandered over her body in what she could only describe as obvious and appreciative.

Akita was forming a response when he began to chuckle. "Akita, I have spent the last decade as an Imperial Inquisitor. It is my job, my life, to know when someone is hiding something, with or without using the force." He stood, moved forward, and to Akita's surprise, dropped to one knee in front of her. Ty'karus gently took one of her hands in his.

"I have told you my secrets, bared my soul, so to speak. I know of no more that I can do to help you get past your lingering doubt." He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it. Akita's face flushed.

"If you want answers from me, you will have to be open and ask. Let go your fear and ask!" he stepped back returning to the co-pilots seat. He leaned back and waited silently.

"Have you manipulated me into abandoning the Jedi path?" There it was, out in the open, in the most direct way she could think of asking it. An instant later she regretted asking, 'I am happy for the first time, I want to stay happy. Please lie to me!' her thoughts betrayed her.

"Yes." His voice was calm and low.

"What!" she screamed in retort. Ty'karus raised his hand as if to calm her.

"To reason with, to debate with, or to convince, manipulate, argue, and a host of other words, all that mean the same thing. To move someone from one position or belief to another. You ask if I manipulated you. I say, I debated with you, and convinced you, but in the end it's all the same." He leaned forward in the chair. His voice still quiet, and devoid of his regular and oft times annoying tone.

"You are and have been the focus of my study, one of the driving forces in my daily life for as long as I can recall. I prepared, debated with myself endlessly in advance of our meeting. So, I am forced to admit that in our meeting, I had the advantage. You on the other hand, were injured and vulnerable." He stood and moved to her, in one motion, he pulled her from the pilot's chair and put an arm around her waist.

"What are you doing?" Akita asked, but did not resist. Ty'karus pulled his lightsaber free, with his other hand and slid it into hers. His hand still wrapped around her waist he lifted the front of the saber so that it rested just below his heart. He pulled her close.

"Did I trick you, that's what you're really concerned about, really trying to ask? Did this evil Sith inquisitor trick you into turning your back on the Jedi?" He moved her thumb so that it rested on the saber activation switch. He looked down at the saber, and then into her eyes.

"Apprentice, this is the last time I will put myself at your mercy like this. You hold my life in your hand. If you believe that I have wronged you, push the damn button, take this ship and return to the Jedi. We both know they will take you back." Ty'karus leaned forward and pulled her hard against his body. He took a deep breath, smelling her.

Akita's heart raced. There was no fear, he was right, a twitch, and he would be dead, and she could leave, if that is what she wanted. 'What do I want?!' She reached out with the force, tested his words, her feelings. She dare not touch his feelings. 'His body is so close, his arm around me. I can feel his heart beating against me.' Akita knew his feelings would be red hot, the last time she opened herself to them it nearly overwhelmed her.

"To be here right now, with my arm around you, my body pressed against yours, I have killed, manipulated, and surrendered all manner of loyalties. Would I trick you?" He took his hand off the lightsaber against his chest. He reached up and ran a finger gently over her brow, over the base of her right lekku.

Still nothing, the force offered no suggestion that he was lying, but her connection to the force was being tested by his touch. Akita had been trained as a Jedi, but none of her training had prepared her for these feelings. The Jedi answer to all feeling was suppression. Entwined as they were, his desperate desire for her was like a fog over them both.

"Yes. If that was the price then, yes! Are you happy here with me? Is this where you want to be? All I have to offer you is freedom, freedom to feel, to explore the force in a way that no Jedi or Sith can. That and hope, no matter how slim, that there can be a better way for all of us." Something broke in him, Akita felt it. Ty'karus released her and strode off the bridge. Akita looked down at his saber still in her hand.

'Great mother, what do I do?' she prayed to the Twi'lek deity. Akita stood on the bridge trembling. It was almost half an hour before she could clear the force around her and center herself. She dropped down into the pilot's seat and continued the preflight. It helped her think.

Akita considered the last few weeks, all she had felt and learned. She saw the smiling face of a Sith Inquisitor. First my captor, now, now what? Master? 'It feels right Master Benz forgive me, but he listens differently he talks differently, and I feel. Great Mother I feel.' Akita trusted the force she had most of her life. The force wanted balance. He wanted balance, he wanted her. 'To the Jedi I am a tool. To him I am everything, it feels good, not evil, not dark, just good.' She could smell him on her clothes. She could still feel his hands on her body, his heart beating against her when he held her.

'What if I left him, what then?' As a Jedi apprentice, she had been taught to look at each situation from more than one perspective, once a choice was made, you follow through. If that meant you took a life, or surrendered to a foe, or died, then it was as it was supposed to be. 'There is always the force.' Akita considered his words. 'Push the button, take the ship, and return to the Jedi. You know they would take you back.' He was right, they would.

His face, again she saw it, was it the force, or her heart conjuring it before her? Was she willing to relinquish her feelings again? No more joy, no more laughter. 'The first time, and the last time, I will ever feel his body against mine.' A steady pain grew in her chest. Tears welled and rolled down her face. 'I need to feel, to smile to laugh. Mother, I want to see mother and home. I don't care if it's wrong.' Akita surrendered. 'The force is not warning me, there are no vibrations, no foreshadowing's' The panel before her was blurred by tears; she wiped a hand across her face and completed the preflight. The course was already in the computer, all that was left now was to engage the main engines and hit the automated ascent system.

Akita hit the comm button. "Master, I need you." She let go of the button, and realized that it was true. Akita took hold of the force, this time she pulled, hard. The force filled her until she could hold no more. She reached out, and thought of her home. Images filler her mind, slowly drifting back to when she was a child. Happy memories filled her mind, she let the happiness wash over her, made no attempt to subdue or extinguish them.

Ty'karus entered the bridge, his face placid, empty. Akita took a step toward him and smiled.

"All systems are green, and the ship is ready for takeoff, give the command and I will take her up, Master." She did not wait for his response; instead she stepped forward and clipped his saber back into its place on his belt.

"You have reached a decision my apprentice?" there was a slight frown on his face. Was it fear, she wondered.

"Yes and no, Master." She bubbled.

"Well that's helpful." He smiled and headed to the co-pilot seat.

"No master I don't know if you tricked me, but I no longer care. I want to feel the way I do now, I enjoy how I feel. I want to help find a better way, a different path. Is that enough, Master?" Akita activated the automated ascent system and the ship shuddered slightly, then lifted off.

"Knowing what you want, allows you to make your own truth. So, yes, my apprentice, it is enough." He smiled at her. Akita smiled back. It felt good.


	9. Chapter 9 Kaas City

Chapter 9 Kaas City

"Flight 6bravo53charlie Authorization accepted, you are cleared to land on pad Kilo Charlie1178. Please note that any deviation from your assigned corridor is in violation of Imperial regulation Yavin98-4 and will result in the use of lethal force. Welcome to Kaas City" The imperial flight coordinator did not wait for a response. Akita located the beacon for pad KC1178 and locked it into the automated decent system. The system accepted the beacons command and Akita let go the controls and hit the internal comms.

"Master we are on final approach." Akita sat back and watched as the huge city came into view. It was a sprawling vista filled with modern construction as well as ancient structures. From her vantage she could see military buildings mixed in beside what looked like markets and public areas. With the treaty of Coruscant in force Akita had never expected to see Kaas City or any Imperial prime worlds.

Ty'karus entered the bridge; Akita took note of his clothing. The outfit was both intimidating and ornate. The hood shadowed his face giving him an eerie appearance.

"Apprentice I have a new outfit for you, it is in my quarters on the bed. Please be so good as to wear it while in the city." Akita could sense that her masters was distracted, even pensive. She bowed and headed off the bridge.

Entering her Masters quarters Akita found the clothing laid out on the bed. In spite of the fact that this was a two-piece outfit it was still more revealing than what she was already wearing if that was possible. The boots were similar to those she wore but had been buffed to a shine.

The leggings and top were closer in design to what you she would expect a Twi'Lek dancer to wear. The leggings were almost completely mesh, solid material covering only the bare essentials in the front and leaving her behind covered only in mesh. The leggings also included a two-inch waistline with belt loops and two hooks for her sabers.

Akita picked up the top and arched an eyebrow. It appeared to be comprised of two sections a corset and mesh. The black under bust corset covered her with solid panels. The gold mesh covered from her neck, down over her breasts and finished as it joined the solid panel below. The previous outfit had hidden her breasts. The current garment had only a small section of mesh done in the same color as her skin. To the casual eye her breasts would appear bare save for the thin mesh. 'My master is a Sith and a pervert.' she thought to herself.

The robe on the bed was shorter stopping at the calf. When she picked it up she found two long black gloves beneath. They were designed to cover to the middle of the upper arm. She slid them on, they were surprisingly comfortable. There was something along the wrist and over the knuckles. She reviewed the gloves and found a thin razor like barb on both gloves, the knuckles had hard nonmetallic covers. Her training provided her with a number of scenarios where these hidden weapons would be advantageous.

Akita stripped and put on the new garments. She could not hold back a smile. 'Master Benz how do I look?' she thought. She knew that the Jedi master would have put on his famous dour face and sentenced her to hours of contemplative meditation for wearing such an outfit. She was surprised to find that the mesh was not open, as it appeared, rather there was a thin membrane of transparent material laid behind the mesh. Like the previous outfit, it fit well and did not bind or pinch

Akita felt the ship decelerate, they were landing. She finished attaching her sabers, donned the cloak and quickly left to join her master on the bridge. Akita took note of the sensual feeling of her new clothing. She allowed herself to enjoy it, she was ever mindful not let feeling overwhelm her. 'Such a change to be able to feel' she thought.

Ty'karus met her as she approached the bridge. He strode to her and took her hands in his. "Apprentice my master may wish to speak to you." There was stress in his voice. It immediately unsettled Akita.

"If he does, you will keep your answers short and honest, no matter what he asks." His eyes held hers, Akita did not see fear in his eyes but she could tell he was concerned.

"Yes Master, but what if." He cut her off with a squeeze to her hands. "No buts Akita, no matter what he asks. Understand? He is a Lord of the Sith, hesitation or refusal to answer will most certainly lead to death or worse." His voice was calm, gentle but she could sense a fine edge as well.

"Master you are also a lord, how does he have so much more power?" All Jedi were provided education on Sith politics but the nuances were for the most part a mystery.

"I am a Sith Inquisitor, non Sith address me as Lord but it is an honorific not a true Sith title. Only the most powerful are truly Lords of the Sith. My master sits well below the Dark Council, but his power and reach are significant. Come, we mustn't be late." Ty'karus hit the ramp button and they departed the ship.

The first thing that Akita noticed was the air, it was charged with the force. The dark side of the force was thick in the air, far worse than in the village, it gave it a humid quality. She reached out to the force, wrapping herself in a cloak of protection.

There was a light but steady wind, it was impossible to tell the direction it came from as it whipped between the immense buildings, giving it the appearance of coming from all directions.

Ty'karus grabbed her hand as they walked. "Be mindful apprentice, do not hold the force so tight. You must let yourself feel while you are here. We will deal with any affects once we are back in space." Akita nodded understanding and gently let the force go.

The dark energy washed over her again. It gave depth to her current emotions, heightened them. As she examined her feelings she could sense a layer of lethargy set in, she touched the force just enough to wash that away but did nothing to control the other feelings. She imagined that if this lay on the whole of Kaas City it would, over time, render people compliant, less likely to rebel.

As they walked through the city Akita noticed the number of imperial soldiers' increase, it set her on edge. Ty'karus reached down behind her cloak and squeezed her left cheek. Akita jumped letting out a short gasp. "Master!?" he was clearly amused by her reaction.

"Stop walking like a Jedi. You must act the part of a Sith. This is an imperial city and you are walking with a Sith Inquisitor. Keep your mind on that. You have every right to be here and they..." He glanced at the imperials nearby. "...See you as Sith. You fill them with fear. Reach out and feel it but do not dwell on it. Neither of us is served by you looking like a skittish Kowakian monkey-lizard" Ty'karus let his hand linger a moment before removing it.

Akita reached out with the force. There were a number of troopers standing with an imperial NCO. She touched them and felt a mix of fear and lust. The fear was far stronger, mixed in with the fear was anger. 'They are angry that they fear me but are unable to suppress the fear' she thought. Heightened by the dark energy hanging over the city, Akita took in the fear and anger as if they were a perfume. She drank of it, breathing deep to let it fill her. Somewhere in her mind an alarm went off and she let go of the force. The connection to the soldiers dropped but the feeling she got from their fear took longer to subside. It was rich and almost sensual. Akita realized for the first time, how addictive feeling could be. It scared her. She closed the gap between herself and her Master.

The gate before them was large it was made to look old and ornate but was clearly of current modern materials. Two robed guards stood behind the gate. Seeing their approach, the guards opened the gates bowed their heads and let Akita and her Master pass without question.

Both sides of the courtyard were lined with gardens. Servants tended to the plants but did not look up as they passed. The main doors opened at their approach, there were two robed guards inside. Ty'karus stepped through the doors and took a turn to the right. The room was luxuriously decorated with rows of books along the walls. There were also a number of tables and shelves that bore an assortment of statues and odd looking devices.

"Take a seat my apprentice, you will wait for me here and will not leave this room unless I return or you are summoned." Ty'karus did not wait for confirmation, he turned and strode out of the room and was gone.


	10. Chapter 10 Lord Mott

Chapter 10 Lord Mott

Ty'karus made his way up to the third floor. He came to the ornate doors with Sith markings and stopped. The doors were flanked by two robed and masked Acolytes. They were for show more than protection. His master loved ceremony but did not rely on traditional Sith methods of protection. At Ty'karus suggestion the walls to this room had been reinforced, the floors, walls and this side of the door were then lined with an energy field. With a simple flick of a switch enough energy would be discharged to kill any intruder, Jedi, Sith or droid, it would not matter.

Ty'karus was accustomed to waiting on his Master. His Master was likewise happy to keep him waiting. Today, however, much to his surprise the doors opened shortly after his arrival. The acolytes ushered him in.

The room was simple, a single raised throne like chair sat in a square room lined with draped walls. A single bright light shone from behind his master. It was bright enough to leave him in shadow while blinding anyone unable to shield their eyes.

Blinded or not he could see his masters image in his mind. Ty'karus had burned it into his mind long ago. His master was tall for a human, tall and powerful. Due to his liberal use of the dark side he required a respiration device and was rarely out of his warrior's armor. Ty'karus was one of the few still alive that knew that Lord Mott had a cybernetic arm. He had been there when his previous master Lord Tissan had cut Lord Mott's arm off. Tissan had made the mistake of believing the fight over. Lord Mott laughed at him for his error when he stood over his corpse.

Ty'karus kept his hands clasped at his chest and walked up to the throne. He dropped to both knees and bowed his head.

"I live to serve my Master. Thank you for seeing me." He waited in silence. Ty'karus had served his current master for almost a decade. Lord Mott had slain Ty'karus former master and taken him in service, much to Ty'karus surprise.

His master clicked a switch on the arm of the throne and a one sided holo projector sprang to life. It was square and one foot on each side. Images flashed across the screen readable only from one side. All Ty'karus could see were swirling colors and random patterns.

"Six months and not a word. I trust you have made progress Casius."

Ty'karus nodded his head. "My master I have. Which report would you like first?" Ty'karus waited in silence as his Master reviewed more information on the holo screen.

"Midi-chlorians." The words dripped with disdain.

"The Jedi have the bulk of the information correct but they have missed one crucial connection. It is unlikely that the information I have obtained will ever be discovered by the Jedi as they are averse to conducting research such as I have." His master raised a hand, Ty'karus fell silent.

"I appreciate your thoroughness Casius, I will review your full report later, for now be brief." From behind one of the draped walls a serving droid delivered an item to his Master and then scurried back behind the drape. Ty'karus was unable to see what it was and there was no way to use the force to discover what it was.

"The midi-chlorians do not provide contact with the force, they are purely parasitical. They feed off of a part of the force's energy that most sentient life does not access. For this reason, they are more abundant in those who have a stronger connection to the force. It is therefore understandable how some could believe that midi-chlorian count determines force capacity or even creates the connection."

"You have something to add to that, I feel an excitement in you Casius. Your Inquisitors lust for manipulation drips off of you. Speak." His master came up through the ranks as a warrior. He chose Ty'karus for his particular skill set, the same skill set that kept Ty'karus away from his master most of the time, an attempt to minimize his being manipulated into an early grave.

"Master I have leaked a modified set of my findings out into the wild. I found an ideal place for this seed." His Master's anger flared only for an instant and was contained.

"I imagine there is a reason you did not seek permission first? And that there is a substantial benefit to me, as I paid for the research!"

"Yes to both my Master. I had planned to turn the information over to you for direction when I learned of the perfect place to plant the information, unfortunately the location was about to be compromised, leaving me to choose between losing the perfect location or your displeasure at my presumption. I chose to risk your wrath rather than risk failing you by missing an opportunity." Ty'karus fell silent.

"Bold as always, where is this perfect garden that you have planted my research?" Lord Mott asked.

"When I learned that the Sith rebel, Lord Grathan was conducting a number of research projects I arranged access to his mainframe. I managed to plant my research into his computers, just before his estate was attacked by Darth Baras's apprentice. My Master."

Lord Mott sat in silence for a moment, Ty'karus remained on his knees, concentrating on his breathing. He looked as his Master began to chuckle it was low at first then broke out into a genuine laugh. A moment later he regained his composure.

"Amusing as always Casius. Daring and amusing. So what exactly does this seed contain? He asked.

"The modified information correctly confirms that there is a correlation between midi-chlorians and the force. It incorrectly theorizes, that there may be a way to boost ones' connection to the force through midi-chlorians. The potential for misinformation and misdirection of resources is significant. My Master." Ty'karus had been proud of his work and his luck in finding an out of favor Sith lord with a panache for research.

"I approve, but do not make a habit of risking my wrath in favor of your own methods." Ty'karus bowed deep nodding his understanding. "It pleases me that the most likely dupe in all of this will be Darth Baras and his rising star apprentice. Now what of your other mission?" Lord Mott sat forward, expectation oozed from him.

"The holocron is locked in cargo hold of my ship. I would not risk bringing it here alone. Master." Landing on the estate pad was forbidden to all but Lord Mott. Any ship that got to close to the estate would be blasted by underground turbo laser cannons. Sith trusted their apprentices and staff only so far.

Lord Mott moved his fingers over the motion sensitive holo pad. "I have dispatched a squad of my guards and a pilot to bring your ship here. I will personally take possession of the holocron. Did you test it Casius?"

"My Master forbade me from using the holocron, I obeyed. I only examined the external markings to ensure they matched the ones you supplied." In the ten years he had served Lord Mott that order had been the hardest to follow. The holocron held ancient knowledge. Lord Mott had been promised favor from a Darth if he was able to recover it. More than that Ty'karus did not know and it vexed him greatly.

"You have done well Casius I am greatly pleased with you, yes indeed. Now before I show you my gratitude I understand you have taken an apprentice, tell me about her." Ty'karus could not prevent the sense of apprehension that shot through him like a wave.

Lord Mott sat back his robed head cocked slightly to one side. "Why the apprehension my servant?" Ty'karus took a deep breath and forged ahead.

"She was a Jedi apprentice, Master. I know how much you enjoy Jedi. I was concerned that you would." Ty'karus let his voice slip just a moment, everything was now a gamble, his fate and hers rested in the hands of the force.

"You thought that I would want to take her to play with and leave you to find another is that it?" Lord Mott chuckled again. His enjoyment of Ty'karus apprehension and fear fueled his twisted passion and enjoyment. It rolled off of him in waves of dark energy.

"You have nothing to fear, it is true I love to play with Jedi." His emphasis on play enhanced the perversion now flowing from him. Mott loved playing with Jedi, torturing them for days or weeks. His skills were not equal to an Inquisitor but his lust for the work was unequaled.

"A mere apprentice will not sate my appetite though. She is yours, part of my gratitude for recent service. Have you turned her to the dark side yet?"

"No my Master and I do not plan to." Ty'karus replay was almost a whisper. 'All cards on the table now, calm stay calm'

Lord Mott sat in silence before speaking again. "I have given you significant autonomy due to our unique relationship. That will end here and now if I am displeased with your reasoning." Ty'karus could feel that his master had pulled in the full extent of his connection to the force. Failure at this point would most certainly mean death.

"The Jedi are still recovering from signing the treaty of Coruscant. There order is fractured and the potential for discord is great." Ty'karus began.

"Yes yes I know all this get to the point my servant" Lord Mott's aggravation was growing.

"My goal is to pull this Jedi apprentice to the middle, between light and dark. No threat to the Empire and not enough of a threat to the Republic for them to assign serious resources to retrieve her. In the past the Jedi council had moved against the Sith to recover any Jedi turned to the dark side. The end result has always been loss in one form or another. We lose the turned Jedi or we lose imperial assets or worst of all the turned Jedi returns to the light side and we lose valuable information and credibility.

"I believe that pulling the Jedi to the middle will weaken the Jedi order while minimizing potential risk to us. At the same time is shows the galaxy that the Jedi are not all united. Lastly it is possible that the Jedi council will spend significant time debating how to deal with such grey's or shadow Jedi. Ty'karus waited, there was nothing else to do at this point.

"Interesting. It has little in down side for the Empire or the Sith. How did you accomplish this turning? In brief Ty'karus!" Ty'karus relaxed slightly as his Master used his name again.

'Not out of danger yet' he thought.

"I taught her to feel Master. The Jedi have become so fearful of falling to the dark side that they forbid almost all feeling. Pushing a Jedi to the dark side can take a great deal of time and they fight against it constantly. My method uses a subtler approach. I simply helped this apprentice feel, happiness, grief, sorrow, lust. I was careful to guard her from the dark side. I cautioned her repeatedly to avoid fear and hate. This won her over as it flew in the face of everything the Jedi have taught her a Sith would do." Ty'karus could feel his heart beat increase. He evened his breathing and worked to settle it. Unable to touch the force without his Master knowing, made things much more challenging.

"I learned her background, personal history, I isolated events that could be focused on to bring forth light side emotion. Family, religious faith, repressed sexual feelings. I will spare you the details master. In short I played against the lack of freedom and self-expression inherent in all those who are Jedi. She now wants to feel, to embrace her emotions. She has no care if I tricked or manipulated her. She genuinely does not want to go back to the Jedi." He bowed and fell silent.

"Impressive, most impressive. Have you kept any records on this conversion?" Mott asked. 'Almost home now just a bit longer' Ty'karus thought.

"No master, I did not think it prudent. I can create a full report if you wish." Mott leaned forward once again. The scent of the dark side rolling off of him had changed. It has the smell of opportunity and deceit.

"You will make an encrypted voice recording, masked of course, on the basic principles of your work and provide it to me. You will keep no other records. Given what I am feeling from you and your apprentice I assume that your process works best when you can foster a sexual bond of some kind?" his voice was now analytically and all business. Ty'karus had not expected his Master to want to embrace his "project" this was a wrinkle to say the least.

"Yes Master." Mott pulled back his hood and stood down from his throne and motioned Ty'karus to rise. Ty'karus rose and thanked his Master with a small nod. Mott surprised Ty'karus by taking his arm in his. Mott led him out of the room arm in arm and continued to conversation.

How long would it take to research each potential convert? Once the process was initiated how likely was success? Could Ty'karus provide projections based on available information?

Did Ty'karus believe that this work could be pursued by other Sith or was it limited to the arena of an Inquisitor? His master grilled him for almost three hours. The questions all leaned to a more strategic slant, as was to be expected given his masters background.

"One last question Casius. How did you justify the fact that you serve me, A lord of the Sith?" Ty'karus smiled at his master. "My lord, I simply told her the truth. I have no political ambition and that my master indulges my true passion, research. She was surprised when I told her that there are Sith who focus on such things."

As the questioning neared an end the arrived back at the front entrance waiting room. Akita was kneeling on the floor in meditation. She rose to one knee as they entered the room, her head remained bowed.

Lord Mott let go of Ty'karus arm and motioned him to stand to one side of the room.

"Rise child and greet me." His voice was gentle, sickly sweet. Akita rose to her feet.

"I am honored to meet you Master of my Master." Mott smile widened. He turned to Ty'karus and motioned him to take a seat.

"Such a sweet polite child. Let me see you. Take off the robe." Akita dropped the robe without hesitation. Lord Mott's eyes danced over Akita's body, he nodded his head in appreciation.

He reached out with a cybernetic hand and gently lifted her chin so that her eyes met his. Fear rolled off of Akita.

"You are afraid of me child?" Mott asked. Ty'karus could sense that Mott was basking in the fear. He had watched, many times, as Mott pleasured himself during interrogations.

"Yes Master." Akita responded. 'Good girl short honest answer.' Ty'karus thought.

"You are not afraid of him though?" Mott pointed at Ty'karus but did not take his eyes off of Akita.

"No Master." Ty'karus could feel the stress rising in Akita, she had never been this close to someone so powerful in the dark side. Combined with the dark flow over the city it must be overwhelming for her.

Mott was clearly enjoying this but Ty'karus could see that he was searching her face and her feelings.

"Do you love him?" Ty'karus took a risk and embraced a sliver of the force to keep his feelings under control.

"I don't know Master, I know that I need him." Akita kept her chin up as Mott directed but lowered her gaze.

"There there child, no need to be ashamed or embarrassed by your feelings." Mott let go of Akita's chin and took a step back.

"How does he feel about you?" Akita paused. She had to work to resist the urge to look to Ty'karus. 'Answer him Akita!' Ty'karus mind screamed at her.

"He needs me, wants me." Ty'karus could feel Akita's pain and conflict. He knew that Mott would be swimming in it. Mott clapped his hands together and turned to Ty'karus.

"Sweet child. Stay here, I will have words with your master then you can both be on your way." He smiled at her again, then signaled Ty'karus to join him. Ty'karus fell in beside his master as they walked through the main floor of the estate.


	11. Chapter 11 The Gamble

Chapter 11 The Gamble

"Wonderful job you have done Casius. She is completely broken, the potential in this new project of yours is exciting." The large doors to one of his lords' command offices swung open. Inside the command office a number of acolytes and Sith support staff were busy reviewing various consoles and maps.

Mott motioned to an acolyte, the acolyte rushed forward with a small document package. Mott directed the acolyte to hand it to Ty'karus. "Open orders providing you with additional autonomy, access to resources and documents of authority." Mott smiled at Ty'karus

"Thank you my Master, I live to serve." Ty'karus moved the document package to a sealed pocket in the fold of his cloak.

"You look surprised; you didn't see this coming? I am shocked." Mott had managed on a number of rare occasions to surprise Ty'karus, while it made Mott immensely happy, it bothered Ty'karus to no end.

"The future is always in flux we both know that, but your plans for this Jedi apprentice have been on your mind for years. Did you really think that I would have no idea? I can see by the look on your face you didn't. I am gratified that this worked out, I was not looking forward to dealing with your failure had this gone wrong." There was no threat in the comment it was plain, had Ty'karus failed, he would have been killed. Ty'karus wondered if his master knew the truth.

"One last question before you go. Why not turn her to the dark side later, it may be prudent to wait longer, say a year. What do you say to that?" Ty'karus could see that Mott was genuinely interested. 'This may be the only opportunity I get to plant this seed. Better make the most of it' Ty'karus thought.

"A year after initial conversion should be sufficient to remove any barriers to full dark side conversion." Ty'karus forcibly concentrated on his doubts, let them push against the natural conditioning of his mind and then he waited.

"But? I can sense doubt in you what are you not saying." Mott's agitation was rising.

Ty'karus motioned to the door, Mott strode out of the command center and headed across the hall to a small study. Once the doors were closed behind them he turned on his servant.

"Speak and hold nothing back this time." Mott sat on one of the large couches, he did not motion for Ty'karus to sit.

"I only hesitated Master because what I was thinking flies in the face of Sith beliefs. As an Inquisitor I am trained to see things from the perspective of my victim, my plan came from following this method. I looked at the project from a different perspective. As a result; my idea, sound though it may be. If voiced openly would most certainly result in my execution." Ty'karus paused.

"This room is secure; I will grant you special leeway in this case. Now speak!" Mott sat back with obvious anticipation.

"We Sith live by a code that ultimately requires that the apprentice succeed the master. Yet there is nothing in the code preventing us from employing all manner of support be it droids or flesh and blood soldiers and mercenaries." Ty'karus paused a moment to gauge his masters state. So far he was attentive but rapidly losing patients.

"Yes yes Ty'karus move along let me hear this audacious heretical idea." Mott chuckled to himself.

"Instead of pulling the Jedi over to the dark side, essentially making them Sith and once again our eventual downfall." Mott sat forward with an agitated look in his eyes. He held up a hand interrupting Ty'karus.

"Draw them to the middle and bind them to our service. One foot in the dark so that they will kill when defending our interests, one foot in the light so that they will not be our undoing." Mott completed Ty'karus line of reasoning and leaned back in his throne. "As you say no different in theory than a bounty hunter or any other mercenary but far more dedicated if your apprentice is any indication." Mott was pulling at the metal chin of his respirator.

Ty'karus touched only enough of the force to center himself. 'He is smart; he may make the leap. Stay calm' He thought to himself.

"Very interesting but you spoke to this earlier Casius and I fail to see what is, strictly speaking, heretical about such a plan. It fits with our philosophy as far as I can see, corruption of the Jedi bending them to our service. We keep them from true power and at the same time weaken the Jedi by reducing their ranks. It will sow seeds of chaos. I..." Mott paused.

Ty'karus could feel him using the force searching the information he had received. Moments ticked away. Then without warning Mott leapt forward, his cybernetic hand grabbed Ty'karus by the throat and slammed him into the wall.

Lord Motts activated saber flashed brilliant red, it singed the wall next to Ty'karus face. Ty'karus could not concentrate, there was a steady jolt of electricity coursing through his muscles. Motts cybernetic hand was augmented with electro fibers that extended like finger nails. They were dug into his throat forcing his neck and shoulders into spasms.

'Interesting addition, if I live through this I will need to...' he could not finish the thought as another jolt wracked his body. There was a pounding at the door, then yelling and moments later the sound of lightsaber's flaring into action. 'Akita is trying to get to me' Ty'karus thought.

Out in the hall Akita had been trying to focus on the force to feel her master and keep herself centered. She had felt his doubt and fear. It had set her on edge. She was just beginning to relax when she felt his pain. Akita reached out and felt where he was. She stood without hesitation, and moved down the hall with a burst of force speed.

She reached the door unchallenged but felt the approach of the Sith acolytes. She hit the door with a force augmented fist but it was clearly more than the wood it appeared to be. She hit the same location over and over hoping to see some sign that it would give but there was nothing.

Behind her the acolyte's lightsaber's ignited. She dropped to a crouch and force leapt up while tucking into a backwards roll. She landed just behind the two acolytes. Both moved into attack. Akita's lightsaber's flared into action blue in one hand red in the other. The dance began.

Akita moved kept moving, changing the ground they fought on. She was more skilled than either one but they were fast and moving to flank her. She reached out pulling items from around the room into the fight. The acolytes were only able to move smaller objects that weighed less giving her the advantage. An advantage that Akita knew would last for a few moments more, then the others would storm into the area.

The first acolyte missed a step as a stone vase hit his ankle, he tried to jump out of the way. Akita caught him in midair, his body fell to the ground in two locations. The second acolyte screamed in rage and rushed her. Their blades met over and over again. Lunge, parry, block and counter, Back and forth. Akita could hear voices and boots getting closer.

The second acolyte reached high for a strong attack, Akita dropped low, rolled and slid both sabers crossed under his ribs. A quick motion and he also hit the ground in two places. Akita ran back to the door and slammed both sabers into the frame.

Inside the room Lord Mott was trying to rip Ty'karus' mind open. "The only way your plan would work is if the Jedi you were converting truly believed in you." Mott spittle hit Ty'karus in the face and ran down his cheek. The electro fibers jolted him again but this time it was much worse. Mott had augmented the jolt with force lightning. Ty'karus tried to scream but his vocal cords locked.

"You thought she was a full Jedi; you were surprised to find she was an apprentice." He pulled his prey from the wall and slammed him back into it.

"Yes Master." Ty'karus managed to croak out.

"For this to work on a full Jedi you would need to be able hide the dark side. But you are a Sith Inquisitor not a Sith Lord of the dark side, the ability to mask your affinity for the dark side is beyond your current ability at such close quarters. Especially given the physical requirements of your plan. Even if you managed to hide your dark side, a full Jedi would question the force repeatedly during your conversion attempt. Risk of discovery would be significant" Ty'karus gave thought to fighting back but he knew there was little chance of beating his Master in his current condition. He gasped for air.

"No Master, could not hide it. You are right." He pulled with all his remaining strength, channeled all the energy into keeping himself conscious and able to talk.

Two lightsaber blades one red one blue pierced the door frame. The wall was reinforced and it would slow the sabers progress, there was no doubt that this would all be over before Akita could reach him.

"You have surrendered your dark side!" Mott threw Ty'karus across the room, He used the last measure of force to bring his travel to a stop and dropped to the floor. Ty'karus concentrated on recovery but made no move for his saber.

"As I said Master, blasphemy and heresy. But done for you, to further your cause." He did not look up, he stayed on the floor. Mott deactivated his saber, he turned to the door and opened it with a wave of his hand. Akita jumped back, crouching, sabers ready.

Mott strode through the door, surveying the damage. Six guards and two more acolytes sprinted into the room weapons at the ready.

"So nice of you to join us, finally." They rolled to a stop looking for his direction. He waved them away. "Lower you weapons child and follow me." He did not wait for Akita to respond, before walking back into the room with Ty'karus. Akita moved to keep up with him. Once they were inside the door slammed shut with a sputter, its servo's damaged by Akita's lightsaber's.

Ty'karus had not moved from his position on the floor. "Get up Ty'karus. You are an enigma that much is certain. I should have you both killed, perhaps I will, but not today. You have given me much to think about." He turned to Akita.

"And you have killed two of my most promising acolytes." He chuckled. Akita wondered if all Sith chuckled like that.

"A favor in all probability, their defeat will lead to infighting among the others and that can only make them stronger. Of course I will have to visit Korriban again to find replacements but I do so enjoy the examinations and testing."

"Whatever you are now Ty'karus, meditate on this. Your first duty to me is as an Inquisitor, fail to meet my expectations and you will both suffer".

He moved toward the door, turned and addressed them both. "Ty'karus, have a care that nobody else discovers you. I will not protect you if they do, I will most likely send someone to kill you myself." He looked to Akita holding her in his gaze.

"Such dedication and in one so new to the path you have put her on. Her actions saved you Ty'karus not your words, but her commitment. That and I do love the smell of death and destruction." Mott stepped out of the room. In the hallway droids were already at work putting the place back in order. Lord Mott's acolytes lay in four bags on the floor, droids scrubbed the floor back to a blood and gore free shine.

Ty'karus steadied himself and walked out into the hallway. Akita walked beside him she was watching him like a mother would a toddler walking for the first time.

"My lord has not given me orders." He coughed still working to get his voice back. "I live to serve Master." Ty'karus lowered his head and waited. There were eyes on them from the command center doorway as well as the balcony to the second floor. There we also a number of protocol droids moving about.

Mott stepped over the bagged bodies of his former acolytes. Without looking back, he waved a dismissing hand at Ty'karus. "You may return to your research Ty'karus, I do not expect to hear from you until you have made progress or six months whichever comes first." He turned his head just enough that he could see Akita. "And do reward your apprentice for the entertainment, it was most enjoyable." He chuckled as he returned to the command center.

"Yes Master, thank you Master." Ty'karus said loudly in his coarse voice. Akita could feel his pain and his injuries. She moved to him, offering to help. He snatched his arm away from her. "To show weakness here is to invite death my apprentice. Come we must leave." He whispered.


	12. Chapter 12 Being Sith

Chapter 12 Being Sith

Ty'karus held himself erect and did his best to stroll out of the estate. It was difficult but given the victory he had purchased with his pain; it was worth it. Once clear of the estate Ty'karus took them through a number of markets. He bought a number of small items then headed toward one of the restaurants for a meal.

"Master we should head back to the ship; you need to rest." Akita said quietly.

"There is no ship, my Master sent for it, right now it is at his private landing pad and until he is done with it we will have to wait here. He will send word. For now, we will eat, take you shopping and then if needed find a place to spend the night."

They came to a restaurant that was by all appearances popular, there was a moderate line of people waiting to be seated. Akita moved to the back of the line then quickly stepped out when she realized that her master was not stopping. Ty'karus walked past the line into the restaurant, located a table and simply sat down. Akita hurried to catch up, taking a seat next to him.

A waiter approached the table. "My Lord you honor us with your presence, how may I serve you today?" he wore a tight smile and Akita could feel fear rolling off of him. He was terrified. Ty'karus ordered food and drink and sent the man away with a wave of his hand.

Akita watched as the waiter placed the order then spoke quietly to one of the droids working in the restaurant. The droid then visited the two tables closest to theirs. The people were quietly moved to other tables leaving a buffer between them and the other patrons. Akita noticed that neither the patrons that were moved nor the people still waiting in line made any move to complain about what had just taken place.

"You are to all outward appearances apprentice to a Sith. We do not wait in lines, as a matter of fact that are a host of things we do not do while in imperial space. I imagine that we will need to discuss your behavior when we get a chance." He smiled at her.

"Master my behavior? I thought that..." Ty'karus raised his hand slightly, cutting her off.

"You misunderstand, I could not be more proud of you my apprentice; you saved my life as well as your own. I am sorry you had to take lives to do it but as the saying goes, better them than us." He reached out placing his hand on hers. She flinched and pulled back.

"I'm sorry Akita I meant no offence." He looked hurt, Akita thought.

"I am sorry Master I am still on edge after the fight that's all. I am glad you are ok, but we need to get you medical attention. I believe you have a number of torn muscles in your upper back, shoulder and your throat is bruised." Her eyes were closed; she was using the force to examine his wounds.

"I will be fine as soon as I can gather some strength. My conversation with my Master was, draining." He smiled. He put his hand near hers but did not move to touch it. "As for this, I will never push you, I promised." The waiter returned with their food.

The food was tasty but unlike anything Akita had tried before, there was a spicy soup with vegetables and bits of boiled meat. The drink her Master ordered was fermented and fizzy, it made her head buzz. Ty'karus had directed her to experience the drink and its affects rather than using the force to purge the intoxicant. Akita enjoyed the dessert the most, it was sweet and had a flaky crust filled with baked fruits.

When they were done Ty'karus simply left the restaurant. Akita gave him a look of concern as they walked out.

"Apprentice if you are going to point out that I did not pay for the food, you should know that on a major imperial world like this, Sith do not pay for food or lodging. My image was captured by the droid and the bill will be passed to the appropriate Sith agency and the restaurant will be reimbursed, besides having Sith patronize your establishment is good for business. Or so I am told."

They continued to walk along main streets sometimes stepping onto public automated walkways. "But Master I saw you purchase items with credits while we were in the market. How was that different?" She asked. Ty'karus had not really given much thought to how Jedi conducted such activities, in all his years it never seemed important.

"If I need anything for an official mission or project and it's over a certain value, I code it on the merchant's transaction pad and the Sith ministry pays for it. If it's a personal item, I pay for it myself. Things like food and lodging I leave to the establishment to bill the Ministry for. And before you ask; no I cannot imagine any merchant trying to cheat the Sith Ministry out of money.

Ty'karus stepped off of the auto walkway and walked into the first shop in the nearby market space. The proprietor was clearly intimidated but was doing his level best to put on a smile.

"My Lord you honor my establishment with your presence." Ty'karus raised a hand and the grey skinned humanoid fell silent. "You have a back room where I may speak privately with my apprentice?" The proprietor nodded his head and immediately rushed to the back of the store; He opened a door and bowed while holding it open. "My Lord." he said as he avoided eye contact.

Ty'karus stepped into the room it was small but clean. The walls were lined with boxes and there was a small service droid sitting quietly in the corner. Ty'karus shot the shop keeper a look. The grey skinned alien fumbled in his pocket for something. There was a beep and the droid whirred to life and exited the room. The store keeper quickly shut the door leaving Ty'karus and Akita alone.

Ty'karus sat on the floor and pulled at the force. Akita could feel a rush of energy fill the room. She opened her senses to the force; a cascade of colors filled her vision. She could see him directing energy to his wounds. She could feel his muscles relax, sense the health return to them. In just a few moments the energy in his body was balanced. He was healed.

"Master, is there any chance you can teach me to do that? Akita asked. She had long known that her path was the way of the warrior but it would be beneficial to have an ability like that up her sleeve.

Ty'karus stood, brushed off his robes and opened the door. He thanked the proprietor on his way out and they returned to the moving auto walkway.

"My dear apprentice, there are many things I will teach you." He smiled at her.


	13. Chapter 13 Nobody likes the paperwork

Chapter 13 Nobody likes paperwork

Akita stood quietly taking in the sights as she and her master traveled on the moving sidewalk. She was still trying to come to grips with the last few weeks. Captured, imprisoned, seduced away from the Jedi and now apprentice to a Sith Inquisitor. 'Wait seduced? Is that how this feels? Is that really the word I want to use to describe what I have been through?' Akita attributed her confusion to the darkness that hung over the city, it pressed down on her spirit like a great weight trying to crush her, it left her mind in a constant fog. Akita had no idea how the people of Kaas City managed.

Ty'karus stepped off the moving sidewalk, Akita followed him. "Where are we master?" she asked. The buildings before them were massive, the one they were about to enter bore a large imperial marking, "Ministry of Logistics?" if she was not mistaken. "Very good, this section of the city is housing and, ah, recreational facilities, for Sith and high ranking imperial officers. It's run by the Ministry. We will find lodging here."

They crested the long flight of stairs and found themselves in a large open concourse. Akita was surprised to see hundreds of imperial officers moving through the area. 'I belong here, walk like you mean it' she thought to herself. She reached out with the force subduing her feelings of fear. She held her head high pulled her shoulders back and did her best to focus on the large bank of doors they were approaching.

'So far so good' she thought, her master walked as if he owned the whole planet, not once did he slow or change the direction of his travel to avoid the throngs of passersby. Akita felt a smile find its way to her face as she watched people jump out of his way or snap to attention. Others kept walking saluting as they went. Regardless of how they passed him the all gave him a quick "My Lord" It left her conflicted. A new part of her enjoyed it, the part of her that was awakening to feeling. The Jedi she had once wanted to be pulled its way to the front of her mind. It reminded her that all of these people were afraid of him. The smile vanished, replaced by a frown.

The front of the building had a bank of doors, guarded by squads of armored imperial troopers, weapons out and ready. Ty'karus picked a set of doors and made his way for them. The guards snapped to attention and opened the doors. "My Lord." Offered the trooper. Ty'karus gave him a nod and strode through the doorway.

Directly inside the facility was a series of security checkpoints beyond that the building held an open rotunda with multiple banks of transport tubes and escalators headed off in all directions. The rotunda was dominated by a twelve story statue of the emperor. The area was clearly designed so that the visitors travelling through this section of the building would all face the statue as they moved between floors.

She had been impressed with how organized things were outside, it was even more so inside. Directly ahead were security check points. The area bottlenecked forcing all to pass through and be reviewed. Soldiers lined the area accompanied by a number of heavy attack droids. Her master had said this was a recreational facility, Akita wondered what security at a military installation was like.

Ty'karus veered to the right heading to a set of checkpoints that had Sith markings. He stopped at the security post, it was comprised of a security vestibule surrounded in armored glass. It would only allow one person at a time to enter the vestibule where they would be checked by an armored security officer.

The turnstile locked in place and the panel over the checkpoint changed it now displayed a series of words that indicated there was a security check in progress. Akita waited behind the turnstile and armored glass that separated her from her master. Inside the security vestibule Ty'karus turned his face toward the security officer. The officer checked the screen before him, tapped it then turned back to Ty'karus. "Good evening Lord Ty'karus how may we serve you?" He asked politely.

"I require accommodations, I also need to ensure that my master's staff are aware of my location." Akita noticed that his voice was low, it echoed slightly, he was holding the force and had used it to augment his voice. "Of course my Lord." He turned back to his screen, a few taps and he produced a pass key. "Level 4 executive wing suite 1204. Will that serve my lord?" he offered the key. Ty'karus nodded and took the key. The security office signaled his counterpart beyond the armored glass and panel slid open. Ty'karus stepped through.

The display over the checkpoint changed. The officer waved her through, Akita stepped forward and the armored panel slid in place behind her. The officer looked at her and then back at his terminal. He paused then looked back at her again. Akita felt a sudden rush of fear and adrenaline hit the officer. He hit his comm unit and the officer standing beyond the checkpoint snapped his fingers, a squad of troopers moved into position weapons leveled at Akita. Beyond them, Akita could see one of the battle droids spring to life and head in her direction.

Akita pushed down her fear but let herself feel everything else. Her adrenaline pumped, she let it reach a combat level then held it in check. She flipped her robe back giving her access to both sabers. Her eyes darted to Ty'karus, he shook his head telling her to hold her place. She let her hands rest on the hilts but made no other move.

"Sargent, is there a problem?" Ty'karus asked as he stepped forward. "My Lord our records indicate that she is a Jedi! Please stand back." He waved the squad of troopers forward. Ty'karus grabbed the Sargent and pulled him back. "That is my slave and apprentice, you will stand down and let her through." Even though the armored glass muffled the sound Akita's force enhanced senses could tell his voice lacked emotion, it was cold. "My apologies my Lord but I have my orders I cannot." A flash of lightning. The sergeant's armored body flew through the air slamming into the armored glass, his charred smoking remains slid to the floor. The glass held. Soldiers inside the facility beyond the checkpoint moved into place directing people out of the area.

The squad of troopers turned toward Ty'karus as one. He ignored them strode forward and raised one hand toward the armored panel separating him from Akita. The blast was loud, it was so bright that for a moment it drowned out the ambient light making the area look like night. The officer in the security vestibule with Akita was desperately trying to activate the override to let her out, it was not working. No doubt damaged by the blast.

Realizing that the altercation involved a Sith, the squad of soldiers pulled back, the squad leader was waving off the battle droid. Ty'karus flicked his hand again, lightning reached out and crackled across the armored panel, he jerked his hand back and the panel shattered away from Akita, its shattered remains fell toward Ty'karus in response to his will.

He walked over the broken armor glass stopping once he reached Akita and the security officer. He reached out with one hand and lifted him off of his feet by the throat.

"This is my slave and my apprentice Akita Ty. Your records are wrong. She 'was' a Jedi. Correct them or you will no longer be of any use to me." His voice was amplified by the force. Akita was certain that most of the people in the area had heard him. Ty'karus released the officer. He signaled wildly to another officer who broke into a run towards him. The officer bowed before Ty'karus and waited for him to step out of the way. He then darted into the remains of the security vestibule and spoke with the visibly shaken officer.

Ty'karus signaled for Akita to join him, she moved to his side without hesitation. Ty'karus crossed his arms over his chest. Akita took a moment to survey the area. The disturbance for all its flash seemed to have ended and everyone was back to business. The squad of troopers that had initially moved in to confront her had now retreated to their holding station and were talking among themselves. A service droid had moved into the area and was already replacing the armored glass panels. 'Apparently that's a higher priority than the removal of the body.' Akita looked at the charred body lying on the floor. 'He died because of me' she thought.

The security officers were done conferring, one was still holding his throat as he approached Ty'karus, the other security officer was helping him stay on his feet.

"My Lord I humbly apologize, a gross oversight, our computers had not received the updated status of the Jedi, I mean your apprentice. Again my deepest apologies. We have updated the records and locked her ID with yours. Everything is in order now, there will be no further errors. My Lord." He bowed his head and waited. Ty'karus chuckled and smiled at the man.

"Apology accepted." Ty'karus placed his hand on the officer's shoulder, he flinched and fear poured off of him. Akita was convinced that he was a moment away from losing control of his bowels. He took a deep gasp of air and his eyes shot open. A wide smile now replaced his fear. Ty'karus smiled at him and the other officer.

"No serious harm done. Oh and I should like to thank you for responding to my wishes so quickly. You are a credit to the service." From the expression on his face and the energy pouring over him, Akita could tell that her Master had used his healing power to repair the damage he had inflicted. It appeared that he had also put the man in a state of euphoria. He bowed repeatedly before Ty'karus. "Thank you my Lord very kind of you, thank you my Lord" He turned to Akita "My lord please accept my apology for delaying you. I am your servant my lord." He bowed to her before withdrawing and going back to his post.

Ty'karus turned and headed into the facility. Akita walked beside him in silence. Moments later they were waiting for a lift. The doors opened, Ty'karus stepped in to the lift, Akita stepped in behind him. The three imperials on the lift stepped out and bowed to him as the doors closed. They rode the lift in silence. The lift stopped and the doors hissed open. The hallway was empty, save a service droid. The words opulent and luxurious were obviously intended to describe Sith accommodations. A short walk and they were at their assigned suite. Ty'karus entered and immediately reached into his robe. He pulled out a small pouch and withdrew two devices from it. Although she was not certain they appeared to be slicer rigs, all Jedi were provided basic training in the use of such devices. He walked over to a power outlet and inserted the first device then located a data port and inserted the second device. Both devices beeped.

"The room is safe now, well as safe as we can expect all things considered." He smiled at her. "Master what just happened?" She asked flatly. "And why did you change my name, again!?" frustration coursed through her. Ty'karus removed his boots, gloves and robe throwing them on one of the large plush sitting chairs.

"Imperial records are very detailed and tiresome, accessing them can only be done at authorized locations. There would have been significant challenges associated with modifying them at any of the Sith ministries. There was risk making the attempt here but I felt it was acceptable. The imperial records are now updated and will propagate themselves through other locations eventually."

Ty'karus walked over to the computer screen near the suites main door. He navigated through the screens. A moment later a droids face appeared. "Good evening my Lord, I have your requests and will fulfill them shortly. I will be assigned to serve you for the duration of your stay. I am at your disposal at any time for anything you may need. As per your instruction, your location has been forwarded to your master's staff." Ty'karus nodded at the droid and deactivated the terminal.

"Master did you need to kill that soldier? I am not judging and I realize that it could have gone very badly for me I just wondered if there was another way?." Akita asked quietly.

Ty'karus sighed. "In truth, I planned it that way, I know how hard it may be for you to hear that. His fate was sealed days before. When you made your choice to walk this path with me, I knew then that I would need to secure your identity. In order to do that without going through normal channels, I needed to be Sith, violent, demanding and deadly. I am sorry."

"Jedi kill, they make plans in advance of any mission. Detailed plans, odds of success, acceptable losses and collateral damage projections are all calculated and accepted. The Jedi do all that without emotion, all that matters is the mission. You didn't do anything that countless Jedi haven't done for thousands of years. You feel, you take responsibility for your actions. I can accept that, at least it's honest." She gave him a weak smile.


	14. Chapter 14 Nothing more than feelings

Chapter 14 Nothing more than feelings

Akita looked around the large suite, there were four doorways in addition to the main entrance. Akita touched the force, wrapped it around herself and sighed in relief as the knot of emotion untangled and slid into the background. She knew that what she had just done went against her masters orders but she needed the clarity to think.

Her emotions calmed, she took stock of the suite. A quick tour of the doorways and the adjoining rooms confirmed what she had already suspected. One bed. '_Of course there would only be one bed. Big, ornate, beautiful but still one bed, Remain calm, he gave his word._' She thought.

"As to your name." Akita jumped, she had not felt his presence as he entered the bedroom. "It is my understanding that for Twi'lek, clan or family name is an integral part of your society. Am I mistaken?" He let his body sink into one of the bedrooms large chairs.

"No master you are right but I'm not sure what you are saying." Ty'karus pulled himself out of the chair, he moved to her and took her hands in his. "I meant no disrespect and I did not do it to offend you. I just thought that if we are going to your home you. Well I thought it would be nice if you returned with a clan or family name"

"I appreciate that Master but you can't just make up a family name it has to be tied to something real" She gave him a thin smile. Ty'karus tilted his head slightly to one side as if assessing something. "My world is a tiny nothing in the vastness of the Empire. My people's family names often have multiple parts. My grandfather's name was Karus. I honor him by taking it as part of my family name. Ty'karus." He smiled at her, let go of her hands and walked out of the bedroom. Leaving her in silence.

Akita furled her brow. '_Infuriating man always has to have the last word_' she thought. '_Wait his last name?!_' Akita was not sure if she was scared at what it could mean or furious that he believed that he had the right.

There was a chime at the door. Akita left the bedroom, seeing that her master was not in the main room, she walked over and hit lock, the door slid open. The protocol droid that had been assigned to her master stood in the hallway. It was accompanied by a service droid that was pushing a large multi-tiered cart with food and beverages. "Good evening my lord. May we come in?" Akita ushered them in and they set about putting the food on the nearby table. Akita left them to find her master.

She made her way down the short hallway and found an open door with steam pouring forth. She took a step inside and found her master sitting naked on an ornate stone bench in the corner of the room. Warm water poured down on him like rain from the ceiling. He was leaning back against the wall eyes closed.

Akita had seen him like this before in the ships medical bay but had looked away immediately. This time she did not. Instead she let the feelings wash over her. He was average height and build, she noticed with appreciation that he was toned and fit if not a bit pale. To her surprise his body showed no signs of scars or old wounds. Most likely the result of ready access to force healing she assumed. Her eyes tracked downward and stopped. A wave of warmth flooded her body, the feelings were uncomfortable but enjoyable at the same time. Akita worried that she was letting this emotional openness overwhelm her.

"Yes Akita?" Ty'karus was standing now eyes focused on her. He stepped out of the shower and walked toward her, he made no attempt to cover himself. Akita's eyes snapped upward meeting his gaze, he smiled at her. "The food is here master." She turned quickly and escaped back to the main room.

Much to Akita's discomfort her master entered the room a moment later naked, save for the towel he was using to dry his hair. The service droid having fulfilled its mission beeped a few times and left scurried out the suite door. The protocol droid approached Ty'karus.

"Good evening my lord, I trust everything is to your liking. Is there anything else I can do for you?" it asked in a soothing androgynous voice. Ty'karus ran his fingers through his hair and wrapped the towel around his neck. '_That's not the place for the towel and you know it!_' she thought. "You have my file I assume?" Ty'karus asked "Yes my lord of course." It responded cheerily. "Two sets of travel clothes would be nice and new boots." He paused a moment. "Take my apprentices measurements also. There are a number of clothing items for her in my file." With that he headed back to the shower room. 'Remember your clothes this time you infuriating man!' she wanted desperately to scream at him.

The protocol droid approached Akita. "My lord, at your leisure would you please stand?" Akita was not sure how she felt about being addressed as 'my lord'. Akita stood begrudgingly and waited as the droid scanned her. Its job done it thanked her and made its way out of the room.

A few minutes later Ty'karus rejoined her in the main room. She was grateful he had put his pants back on. He beckoned her to sit and he settled down to eat.

"Master can we talk." She started hesitantly. He nodded agreement and continued to pick at the different food choices.

"Are you trying to make me crazy?" she sighed. Ty'karus chuckled.

"You noticed that I activated the security dampers when we entered the room?" he said quietly. He picked up two glasses and poured a clear but bubbly liquid in both. He placed one before Akita.

"Yes master, I assumed you wanted to ensure privacy. When Jedi travel we have similar protocols. I don't see what that has to do with your behavior" her voice pitched high as she spoke.

"Imperial surveillance equipment is among finest in the galaxy. The devices I placed will scramble the listening devices as well as inserting random noise, I have no fear of them being able to hear us. However, the video is another thing entirely. There are far too many devices to deactivate them all, so instead, the device I used drops the data frames by flooding the room with static. In effect it drops eighty percent of the frames from each second of recording. But we are still being watched. We must still be seen to be Master and apprentice." He sat back in the chair and sipped at the bubbly drink.

'_Can I believe him or is this just a clever ruse to justify his actions._' She wondered. "So you're saying that your behavior is normal for this situation?" she asked

"No but my behavior will be understandable given that they know you're a recent convert." He pointed to one of the plates "You have to try this." He pushed the plate toward her.

"I don't think I understand master." Akita picked at the food he offered and was pleasantly surprised by its taste.

"You are a Twi'lek and a painfully beautiful one at that. Sith intelligence has detailed files, as a result they are aware of my appetites. Their expectations of our work relationship would, I fear, shock you." He chuckled to himself. "Once we are away from this place things will be easier for you. I do apologize Akita. Remember that I planned to come here only to change your security status, spend a few hours relaxing and then leave. By now we should have been on our way to your home. As I told you when we started, your training requires that you become accustomed to emotions. Being among your family and your home was to be a safe place to begin."

"Can't we wait then master, until we are on Ryloth?" Akita was very much enjoying the food, she had not enjoyed such variety in recent memory.

"Wrapped in the light side of the force you are a beacon that draws Sith flies like a plague. I am sorry to be so blunt but your dependency on the light side puts us and our mission in jeopardy. If we are discovered death will be the least of our worries." She could hear the concern in his voice.

"Fear, anger, hate, pride, ego. They would resolve the issue but I will not risk losing you to the dark side. I know you don't want that either." He did not meet her eyes as he said it. Clearly it weighed on him. '_He is afraid for me._' She thought.

"So your answer is to walk around naked, and put us in a room with one bed and tell me that Imperial records show us as what? Father and daughter or husband and wife?" She regretted snapping at him the moment she had said it.

The door chime bleeped. Ty'karus was glad for the interruption. "Come" he responded. The protocol droid stepped into the room and made way for another service droid. It had an extended arm with hooks and from those hung the clothing that Ty'karus had asked for. Ty'karus nodded and pointed the droid toward the bedroom, it took its leave and headed into the bedroom.

"My lord." The droid turned to address Ty'karus. "Will you require entertainment this evening?" It asked. Akita felt a sudden spike of emotion in her master. He concealed it quickly but she could still smell it in the room. He gathered himself. "Ask my apprentice. I am happy with her progress and have allowed her the privilege of deciding who I sleep with tonight." He did not turn to look at her, instead he maintained eye contact with the droid.

Akita could feel her heart pounding. '_Imperial surveillance is among the finest in the galaxy, we are still being watched_.' She knew what the droid was asking and what she was being asked to decide. Was she ok with sitting in another room while he was in the bedroom with someone else? Was she ready to take their relationship to the next level? '_Relationship? When did this become a relationship?_' Akita anger flared instantly.

"What kind of entertainment do you have available? Master deserves the best." Her voice dripped with vitriol. The droid was about to respond when the door chimed again.


	15. Chapter 15 The Other Woman

Chapter 15 The other woman

Akita was half way to the door when she felt it. Something dark beyond the door, seething with hatred. She stopped in place and looked to her master. Ty'karus motioned her back, pointed to the chair. "Sit be ready but remain calm." he looked back and smiled at Akita, then used the force to activate the lock. The door slid open with a hiss.

A female Zabrak stepped into the room, she smiled at Ty'karus. "So good to see you, old friend." Her voice had a dusky quality to it. The woman was a sight to behold, surely she drew attention where ever she went. Akita had seen Zabrak in the republic but this was the first Sith Zabrak she had seen. She was tall physically fit and practically naked. Around her waist there was a belt that rested on her hips at an angle, her lightsaber and two pouches hung from the belt. The rest of her clothing could only be described generously as strapping, some wide some impossibly thin. They wrapped around her barley providing coverage at all. It was a wonder she remained contained in such an outfit. She had hair, not all Zabrak did. She also had a neat row of horns on her head.

"Good to see you as well old friend." Ty'karus voice held nothing but disdain, he was making no attempt to hide it.

Ty'karus turned to the droid. "Leave, seal the room." The droid turned and made a hasty retreat.

The Zabrak woman turned from Ty'karus and took a step toward Akita. Instinctively her hands dropped to rest on her sabers. The woman let out a laugh. She looked over her shoulder to Ty'karus. "So this is your newly minted 'former Jedi'. She is beautiful no wonder everyone is talking about her, quite a coup. Tell me did she struggle? Did you have to subdue her?" she was smiling ear to ear it was disturbing to say the least. The emotions that blared from her ran the full range of the dark side. '_Was he ever like this? Is it possible to walk away from that kind of life?_' Akita thought to herself.

Ty'karus stepped in between them. The woman did not move to hide her surprise. "Apprentice, this is Adith Oroath one of my masters' lesser servants." He chuckled, he turned to Adith. "So tell me to what do I owe the interruption? I was just about to start this evening's entertainment." Something was off, Akita could sense it. They were both feigning civility, under the surface they were both raw nerves. She could feel the dark side gathering in Adith, more than just that, she could see with her warrior's training that Adith was moving around the room looking for an advantageous position. Akita gave thought to standing but knew that any move she made could cause the tension in the room to snap. She would bide her time. She reached out gently with the force and looked for an advantage of her own.

"I am here for the recording." She smiled at him. And slid around the room like a snake. Ty'karus danced around the room with her, moving as if they were both just talking without a care in the world.

"No you're not. Adith" He said.

"No I'm not." She smiled. "We have been doing this dance for ten years. It really is time for it to end don't you think?" She moved through the room as if appreciating its size and trappings.

"Adith in all that time we have been honorable, dare I say, civil enemies, why move against me now?" His question sounded sincere.

"You have grown soft, your voice is filled with concern for my well being it's sick Casius, what happened to you?" She was disgusted with him. Her hate was intense. Akita could sense the dark side flowing through Adith.

"Master had me pull the internal logs." She smiled at him. "I watched them before I gave them to him." She moved forward, the dark side was so strong that Akita would have sworn the air around her grew dark.

"And you believe that my position is weakened?" He sighed. Akita had never seen a sorcerer fight she had no point of reference other than what she had been taught. Would he embrace the dark side and if he didn't, how would it affect his ability to fight? She did, however, understand Adith. A Sith warrior pure raw hate holding a double bladed lightsaber. Worry for her master took root and threatened her calm. She was about to use the force to quell when something pushed her on a different path. _'Don't let go your feelings, embrace them._' It whispered. Akita knew better than to take hold of fear or hate, instead she reached out and took hold of something else, it fueled her and it felt right.

"Adith, it doesn't have to be like this, there is another way." Akita could feel his emotions, fear, anger, regret and something else, excitement. Their words were no longer of importance, they served only to allow them to draw out this slow dance until one of them was ready to pounce.

Adith took another step she motioned toward Akita. "She is a pretty one Casius. Have you had your way with her yet?" Ty'karus did not respond, he stepped forward. Adith growled at him.

"This is the only way it can be, it's the way it's meant to be. Strength must be tested or it grows weak, like you. Through strength I gain power, through power, victory and through victory my chains are broken. The force shall set me free." Her words seethed with hate.

"When I am done with you. Maybe I will taste her, she looks sweet, juicy. I won't hold back; I will enjoy turning her. In the end she will sit at my feet in chains, with a slave collar around her neck where it belongs. Not a Jedi not a Sith apprentice, just my dark twisted broken toy." Adith smiled, she knew she had reached him.

Ty'karus eyes darkened, the air around him grew thick. Akita watched with Jedi senses. The air around Adith shimmered like a heat mirage, she burst forward in a surge of force speed. Akita lept out of her seat turned with both light sabers drawn and sliced upward. Adith slithered through the air like a snake, incredibly she managed to avoid both of Akita's blades. Akita was unable to stop her momentum and she came to a sudden stop against the wall opposite the chair she had been sitting in.

Ty'karus let go a blast of lightning, it sprang forth in two thin horizontal sheets, they raged against both blades of Adith's saber but left her untouched. Akita noticed a thin red line on Adith's cheek, looking down she realized that one of the hidden blades in her gloves had caught Adith. It was enough to bring a small smile to Akita's face.

Akita reached out and yanked the chair forward, it slammed into Adith who sent it flying with the force. Ty'karus stepped back and pulled on the force, energy pulsed from his body like an expanding bubble it knocked Adith back but not down.

"It's true! You refuse to use the dark side, you fool. I would not have believed it possible but it's true. For her? You gave up your strength, gave up the pleasure the glory of the dark side for her?!" She spat at him, her eyes were wild with rage and power. Akita could not believe how much power Adith held. Akita found her way to her feet, fueled by desperate need, she reached out with her emotions and pulled on the force. She charged.

Adith dodged and spun low. Akita moved in response but was no match for such a seasoned warrior. When they finally stopped Adith had maneuvered Akita in between her and Ty'karus, who was then forced to stop his attack or risk hitting Akita. Adith smiled and attacked. Their blades impacted repeatedly. Akita tried to move out of the way but Adith managed to dance her way back into position. Ty'karus reached past her and pulled hard on a small table, it snapped into shards which flew toward Adith, she twisted and the shards sailed over her.

Akita rolled out of the way as Adith moved to avoid the shards. Ty'karus moved in, one hand out, he launched his saber toward Adith its magenta blade flashed through the air but was deflected by Adith's blade. He countered with a blast of energy, it landed and Adith howled with rage. Akita seeing an opening shot forward, she held one blade in a defensive posture and swung low with the other. Adith jumped easily avoiding the low strike, Ty'karus caught her with another blast while she was in flight. She hit the floor and rolled. Akita and Ty'karus moved forward together.

Exhilaration filled Akita as the force flowed through her. She felt stronger, faster, more sure of herself. She reached for the source and felt his energy. Ty'karus was bolstering her with his force talents. She stepped forward, dodged right and pivoted hard and fast with both blades. Adith met the attack but had to step back under the force of Akita's augmented attack. Akita could see her master standing to the side, his hand outstretched toward her. She could feel the energy rushing from him. It filled her to bursting, she pressed the attack.

Adith took another step back and counter attacked. They were now evenly matched, Akita was a capable fighter but she knew that she was no match for Adith, but now augmented by a full Sith Sorcerer she was far more dangerous. Adith knew it, she had stopped dancing and was now silently fighting for her life. Adith tried to interrupt the conduit of energy between Akita and Ty'karus but they moved as one keeping her out of position. She was tiring but she kept fighting, changing her attack style looking for an opening.

Akita twisted into Soresu form and began the circle of shelter, the technique intended to create a defensive area around oneself and an ally. Akita hoped that to draw out the fight would further weaken Adith and ensure a victory.

Adith had spent years killing in the name of the empire, she effortlessly read the maneuver and countered. Akita screamed as Adith's blade slid into her right side. Adith pressed forward looking for a killing blow. In that moment she took her eye off of Ty'karus. Akita fell to the floor, Adith raised a blade and Ty'karus unleashed a blast that hit her square in the back and sent her flying through the air. She slammed into the wall, the wall gave way and she came to a stop in the bedroom her body hit the heavy table that was bolted to the floor. She lay motionless.

Ty'karus rushed to Akita, he dropped to one knee and placed his hand over her wound. "I am sorry Master, I failed." Her heart raced and her lungs ached. The blade had slid in just below her lung and gone straight through her. '_Not like this, he needs me, need to be here for him._' She thought. "Promise me you will find another way." He did not respond, he just kept his hand pressed on her wound. "Look at me! Promise me you will find another way to stay on the path. Promise me!" She shouted at him. Her eyes were heavy and she was very cold. "Find someone else to need." She begged him.

"No, only you!" He said. Akita lost consciousness.

Ty'karus focused his energy on her wound. He reached deep into his talent and wove the force into her wound. Moments passed, he had to hurry, could not risk the time to fully heal her just enough to stabilize her then he needed to check on Adith. He pulled again and again letting the power of the force flow through him into her. The wound closed and her breathing returned to normal. She would sleep now.

"My lord do you require assistance?" The protocol droid had peered into the room but did not cross the room's threshold. He turned to the droid. "Nobody is to enter this room; do you understand?" He grabbed his robe off of the couch and lay it over Akita.

"Yes my lord of course, we will ensure your privacy my lord." The droid squeaked and stepped back from the doorway. Ty'karus walked to the doorway and looked out into the hall, a squad of troopers, their commanding officer and a battle droid stood guard in the hall. "My lord." The officer saluted. Ty'karus nodded at him and stepped back into the room

Ty'karus recovered his saber and clipped it back on his belt. He reached out and Adith's saber flew from its place on the floor in the bedroom to his hand. He took the time to open it and remove the deep red crystal, before letting it fall to the floor.

Once in the room with Adith he surveyed her wounds. Nothing serious she would regain consciousness very soon. He grabbed her face and double checked the thin blade wound on her cheek, he reached out with the force and double checked his findings. Confident of his analysis he let out a sigh of relief and smiled.

He picked up her body and tossed it on the bed. He took a moment to remove her body straps and used them to tie her to the bed. Ironic that she chose armored mesh for the strapping as they would now serve to bind her naked body.

With Adith no longer a threat Ty'karus returned to Akita and ensured her recovery. It took him longer than he would have liked but in the end he was sure she would be back on her feet before to long and no worse for wear. He estimated that she would be asleep for at least six hours and returned to the bedroom.

Ty'karus took a few minutes to clear up the room. He moved the big chair next to the bed, sensing that he had a little more time he walked back out to the main room grabbed the surviving bottle of Uilia wine. He hunted up an intact glass and went back to the bedroom. He sat down in the big chair poured himself a drink and waited.


	16. Chapter 16 Easy Come Easy Go

Chapter 16 Easy come easy go

Inquisitor Casius Ty'karus sat quietly in the large chair enjoying a glass of Uilia wine. It was not particularly rare or of impressive vintage but he enjoyed the taste and right now it really hit the spot.

Ty'karus hit the room comm panel. "Yes my lord?" The protocol droids voice responded immediately. Ty'karus smiled.

"I will be working in here. Understood?" he tapped casually at his wine glass with his index finger.

"Yes my lord of course, your room's external audio damper has been activated." The droid responded in that even quiet tone that Ty'karus had always enjoyed.

"I will contact you once I am done. Out." He let go the comm button.

"Ty'karus! You will release me!" Adith was awake. His heart skipped a beat, no matter the changes in his life, this he still enjoyed. His breathing always quickened at the beginning. He rose from the chair and sat down on the bed next to Adith, he let his hand run over her naked body, letting it pause over all the enjoyable areas. She ignored his hand and growled at him "You will release me or."

He smiled at her "Or what? You will growl some more, threaten me with death. Really Adith you are better than that." He leaned down and placed his face between her ample breasts, he paused for a moment and took in a deep breath. "You know I don't think I have ever told you this but I love that smell, something in your Zabrak pheromones as it mixes with that perfume you use. You must tell me where you get your perfume." His voice was low, soft and force augmented.

"Do you really think your sorcerer's tricks will work on me?" She laughed at him.

"Oh I think they will but let's not skip the pleasantries. I take pride in my work." Adith struggled against the straps of her former clothing that now tied her in place, to her surprise the bonds held.

"Let's begin with the basics yes? I am going to ask you a series of questions and you are going to answer truthfully then."

Adith laughed at him. "I am a warrior of the Sith, you worm, are nothing. You may have turned your back on your power but I have not. Do what you like with my body, kill me if you still have the stomach, but I am Sith you can do nothing to my mind, I have the power, the passion. I am free!" She spat at him. He smiled back at her.

Ty'karus leaned in grabbed her face and turned it to one side. His lips pressed against her right ear. "Are you sure? Reach out, embrace the power of the dark side." He whispered. Adith's eyes shot wide open, fear grew and then burst from her. It rolled across her body, over the bed and into Ty'karus. He used the force to steady his emotions, he did not need the dark side for his work. He had been born to this work.

"Impossible! How, you don't have the power to sever my connection." Sweat beaded on her lip. Ty'karus placed his hand on her breast. Her heart raced.

He ran a finger over the thin cut on her cheek. "This little cut is your undoing. My apprentice was unaware that the blade along her glove had been coated with a toxin, so when you were fighting you did not sense the potential threat from her.

"No threatening retort? Much better, much. Now as I said before you and I are going to have a talk, you are going to answer every question I have and if I sense any resistance, any attempt at deception. I will punish you." He sent a wave of pain through her body, she convulsed and her back arched.

"You were right you know. Your mind, protected as it was by your connection to the dark side. It would have taken me weeks to break you and even then the results wouldn't have been guaranteed. Now, however, it's a different story. The toxin running through your body will only last about an hour but in that hour, with your mind as naked as your body. It will be child's play to permanently sever your connection to the force. Just like that!" He reached in to her mind, there were no barriers no complex force patterns to tear down. '_Just a little deeper, there it is and done!_' he smiled as he felt that delicate part of her brain shrivel. Adith's eyes were filled with fear and rage.

"Now we will have that discussion but don't worry, I have no intention of killing you. We will talk and then, when I am good and truly done with you. I will break you, you will not be a warrior or Sith. I will put you in chains and you will wear a slave collar and sit at my feet as my dark broken toy." He smiled at her.

"Our master will understand, of course he will, we both know he sent you here, not directly perhaps but he asked you to get the security recording and bring it to him, he knew full well you would review them. As you so eloquently said, it is our way the only way. The strong must be tested. Your defeat only serves to strengthen my position; our master will be pleased. I will ask for you as a gift for my victory and for discovering that you viewed the security recording without his permission."

"In all the years we have known each other Adith you have never seen me break someone have you?" Ty'karus let his hand wander over her body. "Breaking is very different from extracting information. In truth we Inquisitors are rarely called upon for data extraction any more. Imperial and Sith intelligence has developed very efficient methods. Both have their specialties of course but for the most part they work. Breaking someone, Adith, is an art. It requires an exact understanding of the person, their limitations, fears and dreams. It also requires the ability to provide pleasure not just pain." He sent a wave of force through Adith's body, she gasped with pleasure as he augmented her senses.

"With careful application of both I can navigate past resistances and boundaries. Given enough time I can retrain a person to be an obedient and truly submissive slave or servant. If I can convince our master to let you live, I will have you sent to my home where you will work, one day I may even give you back your lightsaber. Such is the skill of an Inquisitor." He let a wave of pain build in her, watched dispassionately as she tried to scream but was unable to. He let the pain build until it threatened to overwhelm her, then he withdrew it, sending waves of healing. Back and forth from one extreme to the other. Excruciating pain then back to euphoria.

There was little challenge working on someone whose mind was unprotected but at the same time it was easier, faster and could be done with significantly less damage to the individual.

Ty'karus took a moment to review his options and reign in his emotions. In the end he decided to leave her personality intact, she would remember everything up until the previous day and he would leave her with the memory of her threats to him and his apprentice as well as the fact that she initiated the attack on them.

He wanted to hurt her, to make her suffer but he knew that Akita would not approve. Sighing he decided that his approach would be purely professional, detached, and clinical. Get in, get the job done and get out. He took a quick look at the clock and set about his work.

Ty'karus looked at the clock, six hours had gone by quickly. He reached out with the force and put Adith to sleep. He rubbed his neck and left the bedroom. Entering the main room, he reached into one of his belt pouches and withdrew the emergency medical kit. He took a carefully measured dosage Conergin-S, a personal concoction made from hospital grade conergin combined with a touch of Sith alchemy. It would induce deep healing while putting the patient in an almost suspended state, given Akita's condition its was likely she would remain asleep for a day or more.

He sat down on the couch next to Akita and administered the conergin-s and waited for his force senses to tell him the drug had taken affect. Ty'karus suddenly felt a desperate need to kiss her, to pull her into his arms and hold her, as if that simple act would heal her. Instead he simply sat with her, he ran his fingers over her lekku and held her hand, careful to keep that act out of view of the surveillance devices he had discovered.

Once satisfied that all was in order he got up and went to the door. The protocol droid stood in silence against the wall. The soldiers snapped to attention upon seeing him. The officer in charge a captain saluted "My Lord."

"Captain you are aware of who attacked me and my apprentice?" he asked. Ty'karus knew the answer but he wanted to ensure the conversation was captured by the Imperial surveillance systems in the hallway.

"Yes my lord our records indicate that it was Lord Adith Oroath who entered your suite. Shortly thereafter our security systems registered a disturbance. Unfortunately, there was some interference that has limited our findings but the information we do have is very clear. Would my lord like a copy?" the Captain was good at his job he had obviously seen altercations between Sith in the past. In-fighting was the way of the Sith, it was also the only method to secure promotion. One apprentice had to kill another. The victor was always the innocent party and the fallen and usually dead were always the aggressor as far as imperial law was concerned anyway. Might really did make right, at least in the Empire.

"No thank you Captain that will not be necessary. Give me a few minutes then you can unseal the room. You will not disturb my apprentice. My unfortunate attacker is in the bedroom you will leave her undisturbed also but you are welcome to validate her identification." The Captain saluted and turned to address his squad. The protocol droid stepped forward sensing it would be needed.

"I am gratified to see you are well my lord. Is there anything you require?" it asked. "Another room, similar to this one and close by if possible. I will move my apprentice to that room and continue my work here." He smiled at the droid.

"Of course my lord, it will be no problem at all. I will ensure that your new accommodations are set to match and will have your personal items along with the items you requested are delivered as well. Will there be anything else My Lord?"

"No I think that covers it. Thank you for your service." The droid stepped back and squawked comms with its command center. In just a few minutes the room would be open and service droids would begin clean up and others would ensure that all the required actions were underway to meet this Ty'karus orders.

Ty'karus went back inside pulled the anti-surveillance gear and returned it to his belt pouch. He wanted to ensure that the rest of his work was formally logged and available for his master to review.

Once that was done he headed back to the bedroom and woke Adith. He used the force to speed up her metabolism to ensure that the toxin would be gone from her system. As he was removing the straps that held her to the bed, the security Captain entered the room. He did not interrupt Ty'karus instead he simply stepped forward held up a security scanner and waited for it to beep confirmation. He snapped to attention made a quick bow then turned and exited the room.

Ty'karus ordered Adith up, took her to the bathroom. He ensured she had filled up on liquids then ordered her to shower. Once that was done he took her back to the bedroom and continued his work conditioning her mind. Things were moving along well, too well in all probability, a quick review told him that if he stopped a few hours before Akita was scheduled to awake, he would have been at this for almost two days. In the back of his mind, his Inquisitor training was telling him that word would get out. Someone broke a Sith warrior in just a few days. At first it would be disbelieved but eventually it would be confirmed. It was a new record one that should not have been possible for someone who was not a Lord of the Sith. 'This is going to come back on me. Now what to do about it?' Ty'karus' mind went to work.


	17. Chapter 17 Passion and Promises

Chapter 17 Passion and promises

Ty'karus checked the clock, seeing the time he put Adith back to sleep and left the bedroom. He walked to the couch checked briefly on Akita and then stepped out into the hall. The protocol droid's eyes came to life as it registered him. "Good morning my lord how can I serve you?" It asked pleasantly. "My new accommodations, where are they?" he asked curtly. The droid pointed "This way my lord I can escort you." Ty'karus stepped back into the room went to the couch and picked up Akita in his arms. She stirred but remained asleep. He exited the room and followed the droid.

Entering the new room, it was as the droid had promised, the room's interior and the dining table were identical to the original. Ty'karus smiled as he noted that even the location of the wine and glasses had been duplicated.

Ty'karus took Akita into the bedroom and laid her down on the bed, he pulled off her boots and took extra care removing her gloves. Using the force, he lifted her gently off the bed pulled back the covers and lowered her back into the bed. He paused a moment and contemplated removing the rest of her clothes, he smiled then reconsidered. He drew the covers over her and left the room.

A quick trip back to check on Adith. Finding everything in order he locked the room as he exited. He had made her sleep for short breaks but for the most part they had both been up the better part of a day and a night and he wanted to rest to avoid mistakes. Many inquisitors relied on the force to keep them alert and awake during lengthy periods of work but Ty'karus only did so when absolutely needed. He preferred to have all his faculties intact without relying on the force, this ensured that all his power was dedicated to the task at hand.

In truth, Ty'karus realized that there was little left to be done with Adith. It occurred to him that his desire to continue was driven, at least in part, by his anger. He sighed and decided to let it go. If he was still alive in six months it may be a good idea to check on her progress and ensure the conditioning had not faded but for now his work with Adith was complete.

Back to the new room, he walked into the bedroom and realized that he was still clad only in his pants and belt. He chuckled to himself and laid down on the bed next to Akita. Even though he was above the covers he could still feel warmth from her body, he could still smell her. It was a distraction to say the least. He took a few deep breaths and forced himself to sleep for an hour.

Akita awoke, which was a pleasant surprise. The last thing she recalled was apologizing to her master for failing and pleading with him to be strong and find someone else to give him purpose. '_Oh great mother please let this be a dream, if I really said those things and I am alive, I will never hear the end of it_' She thought to herself. She rolled over and came face to face with Ty'karus. He was laying on top of the covers and she was below them, he looked so peaceful. Her clothes were still intact. She reached under the covers and confirmed that it had not been a dream. There was no wound but her clothing was torn and burnt where Adith's lightsaber had pierced her side.

She had fought and failed. She had used emotion to fuel her attack, an emotion she had never used before. Need. Her need for him, she recalled how it had felt. Using fear and hate was wrong but letting her need surface, facing the fact that she did need him gave her strength, the fact that they were being attacked gave her need even more power. Unfortunately, it had not been enough. '_Do I just need him do I love him or? Great Mother how do I know, what do I say?_' the uncertainty was aggravating. '_If he is here asleep then we must be safe._' She reasoned. Not wanting to wake him she used the force to roll off the bed without disturbing him. She picked up her sabers from the table next to the bed.

Akita exited the bedroom and was surprised to find the main room in perfect order, even the dining table was set. She wandered to the table and looked at the food. Realizing that she was famished and thirsty, Akita took a selection of food and drink from the assortment before her.

A short time later, her hunger sated she headed down the hall, she slid the door open and stepped into the room with the large stone tub and shower. She activated the shower setting it as hot as she could stand then disrobed. She stepped into the shower and knelt down. She settled into meditation, it seemed like a lifetime since the last time she had done this.

Akita completed her meditation and rose from her kneeling position. She had nearly completed washing when she heard the door slide open, Akita didn't open her eyes, the force told her who had entered the room. Akita hesitated only for a moment before she continued washing. His hands touched her shoulders lightly at first, sending a shiver through her.

Ty'karus reached for the cleaning gels without a word. He lathered his hands and set about washing her back. Akita further enhanced her sense with the force, she could feel the ridges on his fingers and they danced over her back. Anticipation built as his hands worked their way downward. He surprised her by returning his hands to her shoulders for a moment, he massaged her neck gently then let his fingers glide up her scalp and onto erogenous zones on her lekku.

His hands were tender as they ran across her lekku, each touch made her tingle, Akita shuddered as his lips kissed her neck. She placed her hands against the wall and slowly pushed, forcing her body against his. He slid his hand downward and wrapped them around her stomach. His fingers walked upward, resting below her breasts. Akita slowly lowered the emotional barrier she had in place. She gasped as the intensity of his desire hit her. She turned to meet his gaze, she needed to see his face.

Ty'karus smiled at her, the warmth in his eyes surprised her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and drew his face to hers. She let herself savor the sensation as her lips met his for the first time. Akita let all the remaining barriers between them fall, her emotions blended with his. She accepted his hunger, his need. It no longer frightened her, it excited her, to be absolutely aware of his yearning.

Akita let a hand drop and touch his chest, her heart beat quickened as she let the hand drift downward. There was no hesitation left in her. Akita wanted this to happen, needed it. She fumbled with him, a quiet giggle found its way from her throat.

Ty'karus hand took hers and he pulled back. His breathing was heavy, he looked in pain.

"You know how much I want this." He kissed her again, biting gently on her bottom lip. "I know, I can feel all of you, there are no barriers between us." She laughed and pulled him toward her again.

Ty'karus stepped back out of the shower. "I have waited most of my life for this but we can't, we must wait." He moved across the room.

"Why? I want this as much as you do, I did what you asked I let down all the walls between us." Her voice grew quiet. "I feel what you feel, I need you, I need to feel." Akita whispered.

Ty'karus slammed his fist into the wall. "I so desperately want that to be true but." He said. Akita was now out of the shower; a seed of frustration grew in her mind. "But what?" There was pain in her voice.

"The other night, the fight, you recall I used the force to aid you? When you were wounded I healed you. Right now and probably until this evening, you are still feeling the effects of that bond. It is possible that right now your feelings are being influenced by all of the energy that I poured into you." She could feel that he was using the force to control himself to take the edge off of his emotions.

"To be with you now, would be wrong. I would be taking advantage of you. I do not want that, no matter how much I want this! It has to be when you are truly ready." He walked out of the room.


	18. Chapter 18 Up In The Sky

Chapter 18 Up in the sky

Ty'karus returned to the bedroom, Akita followed behind him, both were still naked. She sat on the bed and watched him. Ty'karus opened the large bedroom wardrobe, the clothing he had requested had been delivered. He piled the clothing on the bed and turned to look at her. It was clear to Akita that being naked here with him in the bedroom was having an effect on him, it put a smile on her face.

Akita picked up the clothing he had put nearest to her. "This is interesting; did you choose this?" He did not respond. It was her turn to chuckle. The outfit was a glossy black armored mesh material. It was pleasantly soft and covered considerably more than her previous outfits. The top was similar in form to a swim garment. It covered her breasts while leaving little to the imagination. There were also some small thin straps that connected in a few places. Akita imagined they must be a fashion consideration as she could not find any practical application for them. A pair of thigh high glossy black armored boots and a new robe accompanied the outfit.

The design of the bottoms was similar to the top, a thin belt and numerous straps were added. In form all of her bottom and front were covered yet at the same time modesty was only being given the barest of attention.

She finished dressing and checked her appearance in the bedroom mirror. She was surprised by the smile she saw on her face, even more so when she admitted to herself that she enjoyed looking like this. 'He loves to see me like this, it feeds his passion.' She thought

Ty'karus had kept his back to her as he dressed. He was now in tall boots and a dark set of garments that looked surprisingly similar to Jedi clothing. The gloves he wore had communication components on the wrist. The belt was wide and bore a number of pouches. He clipped his saber in place and turned to see Akita laid out on the bed in her new outfit.

"Your outfit pleases me apprentice." His exaggerated Sith response made her smile. He pulled her close, slid his hand behind her robe and down over her cheek. He kissed her long and hard all the while fondling her. When he finally let her go she looked up at him with a crooked smile on her face. "I thought you were concerned about taking advantage of me?" she said coyly.

He reached back with both hands and squeezed hard "It was a kiss and a bit of grabbing, I am prepared to live with myself." He smiled. Akita decided that she had never been happier.

"Akita, please, I need to remind you. Once we leave this room we will once again be subject to Imperial scrutiny. We must be Master and Apprentice. You understand?" She nodded her understanding, she reached up and kissed him one last time.

"What next Master?" Akita was making an effort to calm her emotions. No matter how happy she was she understood the dangers facing them.

"Before I joined you in the shower I received word from my Master. My ship has been returned. We are almost ready to leave. I just need to clear out the other room and we can go." He let go of her and beckoned her to follow. He stopped in the main room to remove the slicer tech he had installed when he moved Akita.

A few moments later they were down the hall at their first room. Akita laughed. "What's funny apprentice?" Ty'karus asked. "I must be getting dim; I was trying to figure out how the room was put back together so fast. I did not realize it was a different room, it was amusing that's all."

He stepped into the room. "Well be mindful of your surroundings apprentice." Akita's hands dropped to her sabers as she saw Adith walking around the room. Ty'karus reached out and gently put his hand on her wrist. "She is harmless." He snapped his fingers and pointed to a spot on the floor near his feet. Adith darted forward and knelt without a sound.

Akita noted that Adith's clothes had changed, when they had first met her outfit of straps were black in color, she now wore gold. Around her neck hung the collar of a slave, it was ornate and made of a dark material inscribed with golden symbols.

Adith knelt at Ty'karus feet, the serene look on her face said she was happy. Akita touched her with the force, Adith had been a font of dark energy when they battled, now Akita sensed nothing more than she did in the uninitiated. Her eyes widened as she realized that somehow her master had severed Adith's connection to the force.

"You did this Master?" Akita questioned. Ty'karus had insisted that she watch recordings of his work, Akita had reviewed the material, but seeing the results in person was so different. 'Have I deluded myself?' She worried. 'Don't care anymore. Need him, need to feel, to be free.' It was true but the truth of her thoughts bothered her. 'Is it possible that my feelings are being influenced? If so do I really care?' she wondered

Akita reached out and touched Adith with the force. She could sense her true personality was still there behind her eyes but at the same time it was not her.

"How? I would have thought it impossible in such a short..." He cut her off. "Apprentice I will teach you all in time for now we must go." He shot her a concerned look and she let it go. "Adith fetch your leash." He spoke softly and Adith darted out of the room and returned with a long golden leash. Ty'karus attached it to her collar and gave the end to Akita.

"Hold it firmly but don't worry she will make no attempt to escape." He turned and left the suite, Akita and Adith followed behind him.

A few minutes later they were down on the rotunda. One of the lights on his armored wrist blinked followed by a beep. Ty'karus hit the button "Ty'karus here." He said.

"My lord your ship is on pad KC1178 fueled and ready. I have men waiting to take your slave. She will be sent to your home as ordered. Your staff have been notified." Akita did not like the sound of that.

"Understood. Make sure your men have the correct authorization codes, I will hold you personally responsible If I have to kill them because of a laps in security, Ty'karus out." He let go the comm button and headed for the security checkpoint.

No challenges this time both of them were cleared without incident. Ty'karus was also happy to find that Adith's status had also been updated in the systems database. The security officer confirmed that she was now listed as property of Inquisitor Ty'karus. He smiled at the officer and thanked him for his service.

Outside the facility they were approached by a group of four, two men two women, all were dressed as Sith acolytes. They stopped without a word, one of the acolytes handed Ty'karus a data pad and bowed before him. Ty'karus keyed in a code on the pad and it came back with a series of symbols and sounds. Satisfied with the security he turned to Akita

"Apprentice you may give the leash to Torva. She will oversee Adith until I return" Akita handed the leash to Acolyte Torva. The Acolyte pulled at the leash, but Adith hesitated "Master?" she spoke quietly. Ty'karus turned back to her. "Ah yes of course." he lifted her chin so that her eyes met his. "You have been very good. Now you remember what we talked about? This acolyte, Torva, will take you to my home. You will await my return." He pulled off a glove and gave her his hand. Adith took it and kissed his knuckles then turned over his hand and kissed his palm and wrist, she then pulled his hand to her face resting it on her cheek. She smiled at him Ty'karus used the force to fill her with energy, it rushed through her. "Thank you master." Akita could clearly see the pleasure it brought Adith. Ty'karus pulled his hand free and nodded at Acolyte Torva. "You may go." The four turned and left, with Adith in tow.

Akita and Ty'karus walked in silence all the way back to landing pad KC1178, Ty'karus could sense concern growing in his apprentice.

"Apprentice something is bothering you?" His voice was even, gone were the warm tones Akita had grown to enjoy.

"Master it's just; I am trying to come to terms with the day to day reality of the Empire. I'm not questioning you and I do not regret leaving the republic but there is so much I don't understand." Akita was not trying to be difficult and she was not trying to cause a rift but very little of what she had seen so far seemed real. 'How can so many people live like this?' She wondered.

"I am surprised you waited this long to bring this up. Truthfully what you are feeling is understandable. I would have much the same response if I was suddenly living in the republic. May I suggest that the two are not as different as you suppose." He said in a matter of fact tone.

"Master are you being serious?" her voice was incredulous. They entered the port authority facility. Once inside they headed directly for security. Ty'karus passed through first Akita was working on how to respond to his statement. "Lord Ty?" Akita looked up and was surprised to see the security officer talking to her. "Lord Ty, please step forward" He smiled at her. It took Akita a moment to remember that she was now lord Ty part of the Sith machine. She tried to focus on the fact that it was only a disguise. It did not seem to help much.

She stepped forward and he tapped away at his security screen and a moment later he saluted her and waved her on. Akita caught up to her master who had walked on ahead.

"Master?" She reached out and took his wrist. He turned to look at her there was a look of concern layered over his face. He paused a moment then smiled. "I am gratified apprentice. I was concerned that your response to your new title would be less than accepting. We will talk more once on-board." They continued on and a moment later they arrived at the lift to landing pad KC1178. Ty'karus hit the lift button and the doors snapped open. Two minutes later they were walking to the ship.

Ty'karus did not speak until the ramp closed behind them. He signaled her to remain quiet he took her hand. Finding the center of the ship he knelt down, Akita followed suit. "Apprentice I want you to reach out with the force, feel the ship, search and tell me what you find. I will do the same and we will see how much you have learned."

It took them the better part of an hour but in the end they had either pulled out or deactivated every monitoring device on the ship. Akita was a bit concerned how this action would be received by Ty'karus master.

"Now my apprentice, I think we can take a break and then prepare for lift off." He smiled and sat down on one of the lounge chairs. Akita sat across from him.

"Won't you get in trouble with Lord Mott for pulling the devices?" she asked. Ty'karus chuckled. "Apprentice, Lord Mott did not plant the devices. He ordered his other apprentices to do it. He constantly tests them, sets tasks that put all of us at odds with each other. He would have been disappointed if we had not found them. He will now chastise the others for their failure." He smiled and waved at 2V-R8 who immediately sprang to action rushing forward.

"Good day lord Ty'karus, lord Ty. How may I serve you?" he asked in typical genial fashion. Ty'karus asked for a drink and Akita said she would have the same. He happily ran off.

"This is what I mean master. How can you live like this? In the Republic." She began. Ty'karus interrupted her. "In the republic, I would be dead, killed by the Jedi. In the Republic the weak die off, the strong rise and the corrupt flourish just like in the Empire. Politicians are just as corrupt and influence peddling is just as rampant. The difference is we acknowledge it." He looked for understanding in her face.

"But the Jedi, they are guardians, they protect the weak while the Sith they pray on the weak and are practically worshiped. They have freedom to do almost anything." Her voice told him that her concerns were genuine and needed to be addressed, they could not be allowed to take root.

"Come, you start the preflight and we will keep talking." They got up and made their way to the bridge. Akita took the command chair and began the preflight.

"Everything you said is true. The life of a Sith is completely different than any other citizen of the Empire. We live life to extremes, many are brutal. We give in to our base desires and are proud of it. Look at the outfits I keep giving you." He smiled at her, Akita's face warmed for a moment.

"Do you know why?" he paused waiting for Akita. She considered telling him what she really thought but instead she nodded that she did not know.

"Life is not fair. The universe is not fair. We do not hide this fact. We scream it out loud with everything that we are. Every citizen of the Empire knows that life is what you make it. The lowest among us can rise to affluence and power if they have the will and the strength." Akita was surprised at his response and glad that he did not appear to be overly enthusiastic about his revelation.

"Do you think that makes the Empire better than the Republic?" she cringed as she asked the question, He laughed out loud.

"No not at all, it simply makes it honest. I prefer honest. The Republic, and feel free to voice your opposition, the Republic tells its citizens to work for the common good, to follow the laws and to hope for a better day. The Jedi are supposed to be protectors but they are not infallible and they are not infinite in numbers or resources. There are countless planets with suffering populations that the Jedi will never help. They have no choice but to allocate resources where they will do the most good and balance it against best use of resources. In the end only those worlds and causes that serve their agenda are helped." He gave her a thin smile.

Akita mulled his words over in her head and was forced to agree. It was not quite as hard as he made it sound but it was close enough to the mark to bother her.

"But in the end how are the citizens of the empire better served by the Sith who appear to serve only themselves. I mean no disrespect master." She cared deeply for him but she was not sure if she would ever understand him.

Preflight was complete, Ty'karus looked over the course calculations then gave her the thumbs up. She signaled ground control that they were leaving. Authorization was given and they began their assent.

"As I said, it is more honest." He paused a moment stopping to stroke at his chin. "Consider the following. An Imperial planet is facing famine, its people and government understand that they will need to resolve the issue independently. If aide does come, it's a bonus, but it's never expected. As a result they make choices based on harsh facts and move forward. The choices they make may include culling the population of the weak but in the end the planet will survive and will be stronger. Is it tragic, perhaps but in the end survival was assured because they knew they were on their own and began taking steps to ensure their survival instead of holding out hope of being rescued by the Jedi or Republic government." Ty'karus stopped long enough to enjoy the jump to light speed. He never tired of seeing the stars fall away as they entered hyperspace.

"Ok for now let's say I concede your argument. I am not saying it's time to celebrate the culling of innocents but I do understand in principal what you're saying. I still don't see how you justify the Sith." Ty'karus had left the co-pilot chair and was headed off the bridge, Akita followed him.

Back in the ships lounge they both found seats again. "Apprentice I think I may be able to answer your question, but let me ask you a question first. Why were you a Jedi?" he sat back and enjoyed the view that was Akita.

"I don't understand? If you are discovered to be force sensitive you are sent to the Jedi for evaluation and training. It's not a matter of choice." As soon as she finished she felt the trap close. She frowned.

"Exactly, there is no choice. If you are force sensitive and meet the evaluation you are trained as a Sith. We are both of us parts of the machine. Your's the Jedi mine the Sith. The Jedi quell freedom and the Sith embrace it. We are after all two sides to the same coin."

"Master the Jedi do not quell freedom they support freedom the Republic worlds all vote and have representation in the senate, our citizens have many freedoms." She rebutted.

"My apologies Akita I meant they quell freedom within the Jedi ranks. You yourself are an example. No emotion, no love , no happiness, you are forced to give up all personal belongings, thoughts of self are frowned upon and love, outside the Jedi order love is considered one of the most powerful forces in the Republic but the Jedi are not allowed to love." His voice trailed off as he spoke. There was an odd look in his eyes, Akita noticed it, she reached out and put her hand on his.

"The Sith embrace all emotions except love. Embrace all life has to offer, there is a saying, 'If life were a woman she would never forget even the lowest Sith as they left her.' We sacrifice just as much as the Jedi our sacrifice is just different. For each Sith that walks free in the Empire there are dozens of failed acolytes lying dead in the sands of Korriban." He pulled her from her seat and had her straddle him. He let his face rest for a moment between her breasts. As he pulled away he let his lips linger between her breasts kissing them gently. Akita shuddered and squirmed, clearly surprised at his action.

"You enjoyed that." He smiled at her. She nodded and put her hands around his neck and kissed his forehead.

Ty'karus sighed. "Tell me honestly Akita; can you picture a Jedi Master enjoying time with an apprentice like this?" Akita lowered her eyes and shook her head. Ty'karus squeezed her tight.

"The force is in everything; it surrounds us, penetrates us and binds us together. Does that sound like something that wants us to be apart, to die without ever having truly experienced life?" He ran his hands behind her; she was not surprised when his hand grabbed her 'He really does like this outfit and my behind.' She thought. Akita wiggled in his lap. She used the force to open herself to the feelings and emotions. A wicked smile appeared on her face as she felt him beneath her. They both began to laugh.


	19. Chapter 19 Search Your Feelings

Chapter 19 Search your feelings

Eleven days to Ryloth. True to his word Ty'karus had kept his hands relatively to himself. On the second day he awoke to find Akita kneeling on the bed beside him. She smiled at him as he brushed hair out of his face. Without a word she pulled back the covers and admired his form. Ty'karus arched an eyebrow in response. Akita leaned forward and kissed him forcefully, he responded by reaching up and running his fingers over her lekku, her body shuddered.

Akita pulled back. "If you are going to send me away or refuse me, do it now." There was an edge in her voice, it was not lost on Ty'karus. He gently grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her to him. A moment later she looked into his eyes as she straddled him. "I want this, do you Casius?" It was the first time he had heard her use his first name, it felt good.

"I have wanted this, wanted you for as long as I can remember." He replied, Akita pulled the covers over them, for a moment she lay there on top of him letting herself feel the warmth of their two bodies. She moved forward and kissed him again. Ty'karus wrapped his arms around her. Akita looked into his eyes, they were not the cold eyes she had been afraid of when they first met, these eyes were filled with passion and it was for her and her alone. She slid back and joined him for the first time. 

Ty'karus awoke with a start there was a sense of fear and anger flooding through the ship. He reached out for Akita she was not in the bed beside him. He opened his eyes. Akita stood beside the bed, her lightsaber in hand. Ty'karus pulled himself upright. She was angry, fear coursed through her, she had not been this filled with fear since the first days in the village.

"Master. We need to talk." Her voice was subdued. He looked into her eyes, they were cold and dark. He moved to get out of bed, Akita motioned him back to the bed with her lightsaber. Ty'karus did not argue.

"When we joined, I felt you all of you. We shared something. I imagine is force related and probably one of the reasons the Jedi Council forbids coupling within the order." Akita sat down on the bed, Ty'karus relaxed a little as she did.

"Both of us are connected to the force, when we joined physically, the force enhanced the bond. Did you feel it?" Ty'karus was confused by her body language, her demeanor suggested she was ashamed. He reached out with the force to confirm what he saw. Fear, anger, sorrow, shame coursed through Akita.

"Yes". He paused searching for words. "I have been a man walking in the desert for twenty years, my body just sinew and bone. Every step torture. My thirst drove me forward and your face sustained me. You are my oasis, joined with you my thirst is finally satisfied. I simply don't have any other words, Sith make dreadful poets, it's all death and destruction." He gave her a thin smile.

"All your life you have seen me, felt my pain, watched me. Through the force you have been beside me all along." She paused to gather herself, Ty'karus could feel the emotion building in her. "When we joined the force gave me an understanding of what your life has been like." Her body was shaking as if she were naked in a cold wind. He reached for her, she withdrew, moving off the bed. Akita put her back to the wall.

"Much of it is a blur, but there were a few moments of clarity. Your conversation with Lord Mott for example." Her voice dripped with the dark side. Ty'karus considered a response but held his tongue.

"I don't care if you meant every word. You don't need to explain that you were manipulating your master it won't make a difference. I love you." Ty'karus' ears buzzed at her words.

"I know you love me, even if you don't understand the feeling. I also know that right now I want to kill all of the people who've hurt you. I want to make them suffer." Akita's eyes practically glowed with hate, the scent of vengeance on her was acrid.

"Akita you need to let go of the hate. Please!" he pleaded with her. Slowly he slid out of bed, his hands wide open he moved toward her. "I don't want to lose you." He took another step.

"I'm sorry master, sorry that I fought with you, doubted you. My life has been so easy compared to yours. All the Jedi trials and training are nothing compared to what you endured. In spite of all you have been through you still found your way out of the dark for me, you shame me Casius." Akita was so filled with anger, rage and shame that the tears rolling down her face were black with the dark side. Ty'karus took another step, he reached out slowly and pulled her into his arms. Her lightsaber dropped to the deck, she put her arms around his neck and sobbed. He picked her up in his arms laid her back on the bed and wrapped himself around her. She lay there in his arms for hours before her connection to the dark side finally abated.

Ty'karus sighed in relief but did not let go of her.

Ty'karus eyes opened and he checked the clock on the table, they had slept for three hours. This time however, he had awoken first, Akita was still asleep in his arms. Ty'karus reached out and touched her mind, he was relieved to feel only a splinter of the dark side. She had let go of the hate and pain while she slept. He rolled her toward him and kissed her. She responded to his kiss and opened her eyes.

"I love you master." She beamed a smile at him. He returned the smile. "I love you Akita." He replied.

"You must be mindful master, don't call me by my name unless you are absolutely sure it's safe, better if you just call me apprentice. The things I saw in your mind. I understand what it is to love an apprentice. In the eyes of the Sith it is the ultimate weakness, one that will be exploited once discovered." She kissed him again "They will kill me to hurt you, I know what that would do to you, and I don't want to be responsible for your return to the dark." She kissed him deeply, pulling at his bottom lip, her arms wrapped around him as if she was trying to crush him. When she released her grip on him Ty'karus noticed a crooked smile on her face. He gave her a questioning look.

"Fortunately I have given it some consideration and I have an idea." She climbed out of bed pulling him along with her. Akita headed for the sonic shower, Ty'karus followed her. She activated it and stepped in. Ty'karus joined her.

"We are just going to have to be better at playing Master and slave, I mean apprentice or course. I will work to appear more like a broken Jedi. I recall what you told your master. I am to be a weapon but not a true Sith, in that way I will not become a threat." Ty'karus recalled the conversation with his master, he had mixed feelings about Akita's awareness of the discussion.

"What you did with Adith when we were in the room, you gave her a command to kneel at your feet Well I think that from time to time you should do that same with me. If it bothers you, just do it when you want me to know you love me. I will also kneel without command when I want to let you know I am thinking of you." There was an odd lilt in her voice as she described her covert plan for appearing more Sith like.

"I am not sure how this helps apprentice. A skilled Sith would still detect our emotional response." He said. Akita smiled a wicked smile.

"I gave that some thought master, if someone searches my feelings when I kneel at your feet they will only detect my surrender and love for you. I will always be seen by the Sith as a Jedi. My emotional surrender will be seen as weakness on my part and as a credit to your skill. When they look at you they will sense enjoyment. I have no doubt they will assume its joy in knowing how completely you have broken a Jedi. Given the outfits you keep buying me we can easily throw lust into the mix of emotions to add credibility. Over time I am sure we can come up with some other kinky Sith behavior to add to the mix. What do you think?" she turned to him putting her hands on his chest.

"I think it should work, I'm a bit surprised at your sudden burst of deviousness." He was not joking. Akita had shown no indication of having the aptitude for Sith thinking. It was a bit disturbing, something he would have to watch. 'Perhaps she is just embracing our path, moving from the light gently into the shadow.' He thought hopefully.

"I don't suppose there is any chance we could just leave, run away?" Akita asked. Ty'karus sighed. "I have asked myself that question more than once. If we turn our backs and run it's possible that we could live out our lives on some remote planet. It's more than likely that the path we have chosen will end up killing us. If we do not make the attempt, then we are just part of the problem. If we fail, perhaps one day thousands of years from now someone else will try again. It's like I asked you, if not us then who, if not now when?"

They spent the rest of the trip planning and discussing how to be more Sith like. Ty'karus felt that Akita was embracing the idea a little more than he liked. She spent too much time calling him Master, sitting at his feet while he reviewed Sith documents that he had put aside for too long.

He tried to reign her in but she could be very persuasive. They spent many hours exploring her persuasive talents. When he tried to discuss it with Akita she would simply ask him what else there was to do on a ship. In the end she won and he did not mind.

Seven days later, just after noon ship time, the destination alert kicked in. They had reached Ryloth. Akita practically bounced onto the bridge, Ty'karus immediately noticed the collar she wore. It was black with silver and gold symbols and had a single chain link that hung down in the center. He met her gaze as she flicked the golden link with her finger. Akita smiled at him then pointed to her belt. There hanging next to her Jedi lightsaber was a thin length of black cord rolled in a loop, a matching gold collar link at one end.

Seeing his expression she let out a giggle. "2V-R8 helped me make this, do you like it?" Ty'karus did not respond.

"Oh don't look so shocked, playing the bad girl is kind of fun. When I think about how people will see me, dressed like this, how they will fear you because of me, it gives me a bit of a thrill. It's all harmless fun master." She laughed out loud at his expression.

The ship shuddered as it came out of hyperspace, filling the ships forward window was Ryloth. Akita was home. Ty'karus smiled as she bounced up and down.


	20. Chapter 20 A Warm Welcome Home

Chapter 20 A warm welcome home

Akita put the ship into an approach vector and contacted the subterranean spaceport that was part of Kala'uun city. Fifteen minutes later the ship touched down in the assigned bay. Ty'karus entered the bridge, he leaned forward and kissed her lekku gently.

"Are you ready apprentice?" He asked. Akita left the pilots chair and turned to see her master. She was taken aback by his clothing. He wore the same black Jedi styled clothing except for a wide blood red sash, it ran around his waist and down in the front, stopping just below his knees. On top of the sash he wore a brown belt that held his lightsaber and three pouches.

Akita was appreciating his new look when she noticed he had cut his hair. It struck her that it would be easy to mistake him for a Jedi.

"Master, you've cut your hair!" she stepped close and ran her fingers through his short hair. "I like it." She beamed. "Are we ready?" he asked. Akita keyed the security console and nodded. They left the bridge and headed for the exit ramp. On the way out Ty'karus grabbed his robe from the lounge. It was a black robe with red trim. 'Nope I was wrong. With that robe, the red sash and those eyes, nobody is going to think he is a Jedi.' She thought to herself. The ramp lowered and Ty'karus walked slowly down the ramp. Akita could feel the change in him, his body was shrouded in energy.

Akita followed her master down the ramp and stopped at the bottom. '_One more step_' she thought '_and I am home after more than fourteen years_'. She took a deep breath centered herself with the force and stepped off the ramp. It whirred to life and hissed shut behind her.

With the ship powered down the hangar staff moved in and began their work checking the ship and preparing to refuel it. Port authority staff also entered the area. Their presence was purely a matter of appearance as port authority staff were not permitted to enter a Sith vessel without permission.

Her master flicked his hand signaling her to attend him, she did so immediately bowing her head slightly as she came up beside him. Akita had been practicing her behavior, '_time to put on a show for the locals_' she thought. Akita wondered if her master noticed. He touched her mind with his, she felt his pride. They headed toward the customs gate without interruption or conversation.

They approached the customs check point and were greeted by a Twi'lek and a human, both appeared locked in a debate over some recent gambling wager. The Twi'lek nudged the human and they stopped talking. Ty'karus was gratified and amused to see that both men had so far, ignored him, their eyes locked on Akita and her hip slinging walk. They both paled when they spotted the lightsabers on her belt.

The human straightened his clothing and cleared his throat. "Good day my lord, do you have anything to declare?" Ty'karus arched an eyebrow at the question. The Twi'lek put an elbow in his partner's ribs and quickly clamped a hand over his mouth. The human's eyes went wide. He pulled in vain against the hand over his mouth.

The Twi'lek bowed pulling his hapless partner along with him. "My apologies my lords, please enjoy your stay." He waved the pair through the check point. Akita waited until they were clear of the checkpoint then turned back and blew a kiss at the two men who were still gawking at them. She let her hips swing as they moved toward the lift.

It took them fifteen minutes to find a usable data terminal outside of prying eyes, with an active connection. Akita scanned through the information then stopped. "There it is." She backed away from the terminal as she pointed to the screen. Ty'karus looked at the screen and captured the information. "Are we really going to see them, it's been so long I won't know what to say, will they recognize me?" her heart was beating wildly.

"Apprentice calm yourself. Use the force to find your center. It would not do for you to faint from excitement." He chuckled.

The spaceport was below ground to protect it from the harsh environment of Ryloth. On the light side the temperature hit 300 degrees Celsius and on the dark side the winds surpassed 500 kilometers per hour. Even here in the safe zone the heat waves and windstorms could do considerable damage.

The spaceport had elements of both Republic and Hutt architecture. No surprise as it sat on the edge of Hutt space and had been annexed by the Hutts a few centuries ago. Previous to that it had been considered Republic space for thousands of years.

The port was busy, sentient beings from all over the galaxy were represented here. Akita was working to keep her bad girl fallen Jedi image in place but her excitement was showing. Ty'karus kept an eye open, thanks to his force talents he had more than a few eyes open. He reached out feeling as far as the force would let him. It was like being the spider in the middle of a giant web, certain movements would catch his attention. In all his years as a Sith this ability to sense his surroundings, had served him second only to one.

Something changed, a thread of his force web vibrated. Ty'karus pulled up his favorite force ability, the shield slid into place around him and his apprentice. It was visible only when struck. As the red blaster bolts hit it the surface glistened in bright magenta. Some people screamed others flapped appendages but everyone ran. A path opened between them, Ty'karus took stock of his attackers. Two were human dressed in mix and match armor, '_local talent, mercenaries._' he thought, not the primary threat. The third was a woman by her stature, armored head to toe, rocket boots dual blasters, a bounty hunter.

Akita pulled close to him her lightsaber's out and active. He touched her telepathically giving her the command to stay behind him and be ready. Ty'karus moved forward his shield held but it would only last a few more seconds. The human closest to him held a larger two handed blaster he needed to be dealt with first, a lucky shot from that would be an issue.

Ty'karus raised a hand and the humans feet lifted off the ground, his body began to twist and turn, slow at first then faster and faster. The blaster flew out of his hands followed by his last meal. He was not going anywhere. The bounty hunter rolled two grenades and launched herself into the air at the same time. Ty'karus told Akita to duck and be ready. She crouched low, both lightsaber's held in front of her in a defensive posture. The two grenades detonated, stun grenades they posed no serious threat but the impact served to overload his shield, its glistening surface sparked and collapsed. Akita reached out and moved into a force leap, she flipped over her master and arched through the air.

As if anticipating the attack, the bounty hunter fired two wrist rockets they detonated in midair where Akita had been just a second earlier. Ty'karus had pulled her back to him. The second human had moved into a flanking position and was holding a woman like a shield. Ty'karus waved a hand in his direction, the mercenary let go the woman and dropped to his knees. His face turned a shade of purple and he began regurgitating his lungs as the Sith hit him with a blast of force created venom and disease. Ty'karus ignored him confident that he would expire horribly in a matter of moments.

Akita had raced forward and was now squared off against the armored bounty hunter. Akita parried wildly as the hunter fired shot after shot while dancing through the people fleeing for their lives. Something vibrated in Ty'karus web, he looked up and to the right just in time to see a rifle barrel on one of the upper decks. The weapon fired, Akita screamed, Ty'karus saw red. One hand shot out to reinforce and heal Akita, the other fired lightning upward. There was a deep scream and something exploded Ty'karus was pleased to feel the vibration subside.

Moving forward he stepped quickly to the right to flank the hunter, she was slashing at Akita with wrist blades that had some resistance to light sabers. The force guided him as he strengthened his apprentice while healing the wound in her shoulder, luckily the blast had left a clean exit wound. He gave it one last surge and the wound sealed. Akita pushed forward with renewed vigor.

The hunter began to pull back. Ty'karus kept a silent count in his head knowing the mercenary suspended in the spinning force bubble would fall free any moment. With a thought he let go the whirlwind, the man dropped to the floor unable to stand. Ty'karus hit him with a full blast of lightning, the body jerked and convulsed then lay still.

Akita had the hunter in full retreat, she had managed to get past the hunter's defenses and had sliced one of her wrist weapons clear. The rocket mechanism was also smoldering. Something was off, Ty'karus sensed that the hunter was trying to retreat but not fully committed to killing Akita, the sniper had a clear shot yet only wounded Akita. '_This is a capture, not kill, mission, they are here for Akita._' He thought. He leapt into the air and came down behind the hunter. She turned sideways a weapon pointing in each direction. Ty'karus signaled Akita to stop. She hesitated for a moment then came to a halt.

The spaceports security guards had begun to enter the area but did not look keen to get involved. "Clear the area but don't interfere." Ty'karus said loudly. The guards appeared to be cooperating as they assisted those who had fallen or gotten hurt in the crush to escape the battle.

"Well you have my attention. What do you want?" He asked. His voice, force enhanced, echoed and held a cold edge, the hunter shifted on her feet slightly.

"I came for the Jedi. If you let me take her and we can end this Sith." Her helmet masked her voice and provided her anonymity but Ty'karus could feel that she was waiting on something. She had backup but it was not here yet or needed more time to get into place. '_Ok time to take control, let's get all the players out in the ope_n' He thought.

"Fine she is free to go with you." He turned and walked away. Akita lowered her light sabers and stood in place. The hunter paused a moment uncertain of what had just happened. Ty'karus blended into the crowd placing himself behind those larger in stature than he. He did not need the force to hide in plain sight with all these people around. He took up a position and waited, he reached out to Akita and let her know his location.

The hunter lowered her weapons slightly and held them out wide showing Akita that she was not going to attack. She moved forward slowly. "Easy there princess, easy now. I don't want to fight you. I am here to help, to bring you home. Understand? Home." Her voice was calm and steady as she stepped forward now just an arms distance from Akita. Akita deactivated her blades and put them back on her belt.

"Who are you?" She asked. The hunter holstered one of her pistols but let the other hang low in her hand. Ty'karus admired her professionalism. "Paloris Yuri. I'm a friend, how do you feel princess?" her open hand reached out and gently touched Akita. Akita did not respond she just stood their silently.

Paloris let go of Akita and activated a communicator. Ty'karus could not make out the words but he knew it had to be a call from or to her backup. He reached out with the force, there it was a beacon a bright light. A Jedi and it was heading this way.

Akita and Paloris stood in the spaceport a wide area around them free of passersby but as in any spaceport life gets back to normal quickly. Ty'karus kept himself hidden from sight and avoided port security.

Seeing that the battle was over, security had pulled back and sent in the service droids to clean up the mess. Had this been an Imperial or Republic port, security would have been a lot more involved but this was Hutt space and that meant the port was about tourism and profit. Neither of which were served by blocking off areas or leaving dead bodies out in the open.

It was only a few minutes before a young Jedi appeared on the upper deck. She stopped to check on the sniper then dropped from the third deck to the floor. A moment later she approached Akita and Paloris. Ty'karus could feel the Jedi searching for him but in his current state he was grey, he held little of the dark side. The port had thousands of sentient lifeforms, all held some measure of the force even if it was a splinter. In this ocean of the force he was a neutral weight neither rising nor sinking, it was unlikely he would draw her attention.

"Iwelith is that you?" The Jedi quickened her pace until she was next to Akita. She reached up and touched the gold collar link then let her hand rest a moment on the leash coiled up on Akita's belt. "Don't worry Iwelith we will get you home safely." She cooed. Ty'karus moved from his position and made his way to a more favorable vantage. He signaled Akita telepathically letting her feel his movements. She remained motionless.

"Well Jedi I have completed my end of the deal, you have your princess and I need to get moving." She held up a credit transfer unit. The blue skinned Chiss Jedi looked at her with contempt. "What happened to the Sith?" She asked. Ty'karus was now close enough for his force enhanced senses to over hear the conversation.

"He had enough, I gave him the choice to leave or die, he left. A job well done." Paloris smiled, Ty'karus could not see her face but he knew the type, she was smiling.

"Odd I am surprised you managed it." The Jedi's voice was calm, straightforward and of course honest. Paloris balked at the response. "Surprised? What did you think was going to happen? When you hired me I told you I was not afraid of a Sith!" Ty'karus frowned. 'A professional but a newly minted hunter, I would wager.' He thought.

"I believed that you would slow him down long enough for me to get here. I had hoped that you would serve as a distraction so that I could kill him. I obviously underestimated you." The Jedi bowed slightly and completed the transaction with her security code and a thumbprint on the transfer pad.

"Do you want me to escort you and the princess to your ship? No charge, all part of the service." She offered. The Jedi declined with a wave of her hand. Paloris turned to Akita.

"Well nice meeting you princess, glad to have helped. Stay out of trouble." Paloris gave her a wave and vanished into the crowd.

Akita turned to the Jedi and gave her a thin smile. "Hello Kelis, it's nice to see you." She said quietly. Kelis smiled and put a reassuring hand on Akita's shoulder. "It's all going to be fine now. Come, my ship is nearby we can get that slave collar off of you and get you home. Master Benz will be so happy to see you." She turned to go but Akita did not move.

"Will he Kelis? Will he be happy for more than a moment before he suppresses the emotion?" her voice was quiet and sad, he could hear the sadness in it.

"Why are you talking like that Iwelith? Come on you have been through a lot let's get you home." Ty'karus signaled her to go with Kelis. She looked to his position and he nodded at her. He slipped back into the crowd and followed as they walked back to the hanger area.

Akita's heart raced. She had told her master that she loved him and that she wanted to travel on his path. Right now she knew that travelling on his path meant capturing this Jedi, her friend and fellow apprentice for the last three years before he captured her. '_Can I do this?_' she asked herself.

They entered the hangar, the Jedi ship brought back memories, stirred feelings in Akita. She suppressed her fear but let herself feel everything else. There was a sudden warmth behind her. She reached for it and felt the presence of her master up one deck above them. She relaxed and took a breath. They reached the ship, Kelis keyed the remote entry and the ramp dropped and the door opened, Akita stopped. Kelis turned facing Akita, putting her back to her ship.

"What's wrong Iwelith, there is nothing to fear, nothing in the ship will harm you." She was doing her best to allay Akita's fears, oblivious to the danger that Akita posed to her. '_How far am I willing to go? After this there is no turning back_' She struggled with the knowledge that her friend would not understand, she would resist just like she had but in the end she would surrender she would find her way.

Ty'karus had moved around the hangar along the fuel and environmental pipes. When Kelis turned to talk to Akita he dropped down onto her ship. He pulled gently on the force and raced along the hull. Ty'karus had considered training as a Sith assassin, he appreciated their stealth skills but he had chosen a different path in order to ensure a more liberal autonomy. Being grey mimicked in many ways the Sith assassins cloaking ability. He was for the most part invisible to the Jedi, a shadow. '_Very handy indeed._' He thought. Akita grabbed Kelis in a hug and held her. Kelis returned the hug although stiffly. Ty'karus used the time to speed up the ramp into the ship.

Akita let go of Kelis, she let her misgivings and doubt flow through her, and she embraced them as feelings not to be suppressed but to be accepted, only by examining her feelings would she grow to understand them the way all non-force users did. Her flood of feelings were not lost on Kelis.

"Iwelith you must calm yourself, I can feel your emotions, do not let them govern you. Reach out with the force and suppress them. Find your center." She encouraged Akita as they walked up the ramp and into the ship.

The ramp retracted and the door hissed shut behind them. Kelis lightsaber was in her hand and ignited. Ty'karus stepped out of the shadows. He could feel her fear.

"How?" She asked. She placed herself between Ty'karus and Akita one arm outstretched as a shield protecting Akita. Ty'karus frowned.

"It does not matter Kelis. What matters is that it doesn't have to be this way. There is another path. Lower your weapon and let's talk, please." He pleaded with her genuinely.

"We have nothing to talk about Sith, you will not take Iwelith and you will not leave here alive!" she was working desperately to cover her fear but it was there. He had no desire to hurt her and did not want to push her. He dropped his saber on the deck, he could see confusion take hold of her. Ty'karus knelt before her.

"I will not fight you Jedi, you are not my enemy. Fear and hate are my enemy." He waited. Kelis confusion built, uncertainty pushed to the front. "What do you want Sith?" Kelis grabbed Akita by the arm, she moved around Ty'karus while keeping herself between him and Akita. She was now facing his back and closer to the bridge.

"I want an end to the conflict, I want to live without the Jedi and Sith hunting me telling me how to live how to feel how to love. I want to be free." 'A convenient truth over a lie any day' he thought. Kelis reached out with the force and touched him. Her eyes went wide.

"How can this be, you're not holding the dark side. What are you? What trick is this?" She barked at him. He stood, turned toward her and took a step. "I am not your enemy, you must choose. Kill an unarmed man or deactivate your weapon and talk, which is it Jedi?" he took another step, Kelis backed up. "You can leave, I will let you go." Her voice was stressed.

"What about her?" he asked. He took another step forcing Kelis to raise her saber or risk it touching him. "Iwelith is where she belongs." Kelis replied. She took another step back and backed into Akita. "Have you asked her where she belongs? Or are you just deciding for her like the Jedi do when they take children from their parents?" He kept his voice low and even no threat in it.

Akita reached out and took Kelis by the shoulders and gently turned her around. Kelis deactivated her saber to avoid hurting Akita. Ty'karus moved next to Akita.

"My name is Akita and he is my master, my place, is beside him. Of my own free will." She smiled at Kelis as she said it. Kelis pulled herself free of Akita's grip.

"I don't know what trick this is. I won't kill an unarmed man but I will not discuss philosophy and ethics with a Sith. Take your lies and go! Akita please reconsider stay here with me. I will take you home, the Jedi Council will fix you, repair what he has done." Akita shot forward grabbing Kelis by the throat, she slammed her against the bulk head.

"Fix me? You think I'm broken because I can feel, laugh, love. You are broken and I will never go back, you will never take me away from him." She shouted at the Chiss. Akita had taken Kelis by surprise, slammed into the wall and rendered unconscious. Ty'karus rushed forward and pulled her from Akita's grip. He set her gently on the deck then turned to Akita. He wrapped her in his arms and kissed her repeatedly.

"I am never letting them take you. You are here with me. Let go of your anger let go of your fear." Ty'karus waited until he felt her let go of the anger. He slowly let go of her. "Are you ok?" he asked. She nodded and knelt down to check on Kelis.

"Well that could have gone better. What now?" she asked him. Ty'karus frowned for a moment. "I still have the stasis tubes on the ship. We can put her in one of those and wait for a more suitable location before we try to reason with her." She was right, things could have gone a lot better but they could have gone worse. He also needed to question Kelis at some point, how did she know where they would be, were there any other bounty hunters looking for them.

"This ship is a bonus though. Once we are done here we can take it to Nar Shadar and get the ident replaced or just sell it. Either way it's a bonus. For now we need to check it for any information on her plans, see if there are other bounty hunters looking for us. And we don't have a lot of time, the Jedi will be aware that she completed her mission and will expect to hear from her soon." Ty'karus reached into one of his pouches and pulled out a metal cylinder.

"How do you know that the Jedi will be expecting to hear from her?" she asked.

"She paid the bounty hunter. The Jedi systems will show that a bounty was paid in full. If the Jedi know her mission and it's a safe bet they do, they will assume she is on her way back to Coruscant with you. We have time but I don't want to be here more than a week." Akita watched as he used the force to unscrew the metal cylinders top. He let the tiny vial float in the air while he manipulated it with the force. He withdrew from the cylinder a small glass vial with a tiny needle on the end. He guided it to Kelis throat and pushed, it penetrated the skin and delivered its liquid cargo.

"There, harmless now for at least a week." He put the empty cylinder away with the same care and turned to Akita. "I will take her to our ship. You search this one."


	21. Chapter 21 Hi Mom I'm Home

Chapter 21 Hi mom I'm home

Ty'karus had wrapped Kelis in a blanket and used the force to levitate her off the deck. He made his way through the spaceport back to his ship. He gave a sigh of relief upon entering the cargo area. The stasis tubes were still in place. He put Kelis in place and set the controls. The effects of the drug we already in her system and would be for days after she was removed from stasis. He locked her lightsaber in his wall safe. He was about to leave the ship when a thought occurred to him. '_I need to report this capture to my master, given recent events I need to be mindful of my position._' He went to the bridge activated the security console and encoded the message.

"Greetings my master, I have collected a second and will begin work shortly. I will be going dark until I have completed this phase of my research." Short and to the point. His master would understand the message. Ty'karus also encoded the Jedi's identity. Hopefully this would be enough to solidify his position in his master's house. He could not afford to have visits from other would be Sith seeking promotion.

He locked the ship and returned to the Kelis' ship. The ramp and door locked behind him and he took a look around. There at the top of the ramp sat a neat pile of ship components and electronics. "Apprentice?" He called out. Akita appeared from one of the doorways. She held a computer data crystal in her hand.

"I take it you have had some success with your investigation?" He smiled. She chuckled in response. Something about that chuckle bothered Ty'karus. "Yes master I certainly have. Those items are similar to the ones we pulled from your ship. I think I got them all but you're welcome to check my work." She handed him the crystal. "Kelis orders." Akita's face had an odd look of concern. "Master she is here against the wishes of the council. There was also a data packet on you master. Including your alias Casarius. Names of associates and potential locations where you may be hiding." She gave him a wicked look as she handed it to him.

"I am surprised that the Jedi would have such files on someone as far down the ranks as I. Relatively speaking I am just a cog in the Sith war machine." He turned the crystal over in his hand.

"I think it was purchased master. The Jedi would have some of the information but not the specifics that are included, personal information including those of a sexual nature, names of companions you have frequented. Master you have been a bad man." She chuckled, it caused the hair on his neck to stand up.

He put the crystal in a pouch and took her by the hands. "Akita let me look at you. He reached out with the force and sent his mind into hers. He found nothing out of the ordinary, only a slight shift in her that suggested she had moved fully into the shadow. '_Is it possible that I miss her naïve spirit?_' he wondered.

"Master are you ok? You have been acting different since, since we were together." Akita placed a hand on his chest. "I think we need to be mindful of each other." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, Ty'karus could tell she was searching him as he had just done to her.

"What did you mean Apprentice?" Ty'karus wanted to hear her thoughts wanted her to know that he respected her opinion.

"I meant that this path is not going to be easy, I suggest that whenever we are alone we take a few moments to check each other, we hide nothing from each other." She opened her eyes and took her hand off of his chest.

"I agree, now let's get going before something else comes up." They locked the ship and left the hangar.

It took them two hours to get to the living district, they took a local taxi out of the space port then walked the last thirty minutes. Akita was silent as the housing area came into view. The buildings were simple in design, even primitive. They were built into the sides of the cave wall. To call it a cave was an injustice. At some points the distance between the two sides was eighteen miles across. Down below a vast underground ocean. Joining it all were hundreds of manmade walk ways. Small flying vehicles ferried people through the area.

The building before them was not overly large but it was not small either, it was clearly well kept and the light emanating from inside was artificial. Ty'karus extended his senses into the house. It was larger than he expected with a number of rooms, it went deep into the cave wall. There were people in a number of the rooms as well as a larger group in the central area.

"Well go ahead." He urged her forward. "I can't. Master will you please?" she pleaded. Ty'karus stepped forward without hesitation and pushed the door chime. He could feel the tension from Akita. A moment passed and the door opened. An older Twi'lek male stood before them. He had been wearing a smile but it faded almost instantly. He bowed his head. "My lord how may I be of service?" Ty'karus was concerned by the emotion rolling off the man and wanted to defuse the situation before it escalated.

"I am looking for the Sharat clan I am here to pay my respects and ask for their hospitality, nothing more." He bowed his head slightly to the Twi'lek.

"This is the Sharat family home, my master and his family are taking the afternoon meal please come in I will tell them you are here my lord." He pulled the door open all the way and beckoned them inside. He bowed again and ran off down a short hall and darted into a side room. Ty'karus looked back and found Akita standing in the doorway. He reached out his hand and pulled her in, closing the door behind her. There was a crash of plates from the other room followed by shouting voices that pitched and stopped just as suddenly.

Ty'karus smiled. He knew it was wrong to inspire fear but he never got tired of it. A moment later a middle aged male and female Twi'lek came into view. Both were straightening their garments and whispering to each other.

Upon reaching Ty'karus they dropped to one knee with heads bowed. "Welcome to our humble home my lord. My name is Akita'Sharat this is my mate Goran'Sharat. We offer you the hospitality of our home." She said quickly her voice was stressed and fear pulsed from her.

"My name is Ty'karus, Inquisitor of the Sith, I accept your offer of hospitality, now please rise." They both got up but kept their eyes lowered. Down the hall Ty'karus could see other eyes watching them. He turned and held out his hand to Akita. She took his hand and stepped forward.

"This is my apprentice, in whom I am greatly pleased. Akita Ty. Your daughter." It took significant effort to hold in a smile. There was a brief moment of silence and then the room exploded with voices all talking at once. People came from the other rooms slowly at first then in a flood. Ty'karus counted sixteen people in the room. He stepped quietly to one side and put his back against a wall and watched.

Akita was initially dumbstruck she could only smile and hug, hug and smile. Ty'karus experienced it through her emotions, it was almost overwhelming. It took them just a few minutes to ignore the lightsaber's and the fact that she was apparently a Sith in training. '_So this is family, interesting._' He was genuinely amused and amazed all at the same time. An hour passed by all too quickly. Ty'karus finally found a place to his liking, he knelt and entered a light meditation. By the second hour he realized that the sounds of celebration were getting louder. It would not take long for the sounds to draw some attention, even if it was minor. Ty'karus wanted to let her have this time but he also knew that fun, celebration and Sith were not usually synonymous. He needed to quiet things down a bit to avoid suspicion from neighbors.

He rose from his meditation and loudly cleared his throat. At the same time he telepathically touched Akita. She immediately hurried to his side and knelt at his feet, her head lowered. The room went silent. Ty'karus leaned in and whispered in her ear. "Apprentice I am happy for you. But please make your family aware that Sith do not celebrate like this. It may be a good idea to suggest that your reputation as a Sith could suffer should a report of your behavior surface later in your career." He smiled and waved her back to her family. Akita returned to her mother and father and a moment later family members were nodding understandingly. The festivities continued but were sufficiently muted.

Ty'karus was enjoying the family reunion, He had allowed himself to sink back into a restful but light meditation, he kept his senses alert but let the sounds fade into the background. All the while he kept part of his mind watching Akita's emotions. He felt her smile so hard her face hurt, then he felt the pain in her chest as various family members talked of their lives. She had missed so much it hurt. Others told her how much they missed her and her eyes filled with tears.

Her grandmother had passed on a few years ago, Akita's mother was now the clan Matriarch. They had tried to find her but the galaxy is huge and there is little hope with the passage of so many years. There was some guilt and sorrow but it was tempered with pragmatism, slavery was a way of life it was the way that the Twi'lek people spread out across the stars. Akita spoke of her life as a Jedi, in truth her life had been filled with learning, adventure and privilege. She had wanted for nothing. When she began speaking of the Jedi a number of younger family members came out of the woodwork and sat at her feet.

They stopped her frequently with questions about the force and lightsaber's, there were endless requests to see her sabers. The older family members pulled ears or gave small smacks to the heads of those who asked. Many of the adults kept a watchful eye on Ty'karus and grew nervous when the children asked about Jedi.

Akita reached the turning point in her story, she was on a ship headed to take the Jedi trials when a Sith captured her and brought her to Ty'karus, her master. She did a very good job of telling the story embellishing some places and skipping over other elements. Ty'karus was quite impressed with her ability to hold her audience. He also noted that she managed to intimate her feelings for her master without ever saying it directly.

The hours rolled on as family members took turns reconnecting with this long lost relative. It was not often that a slave returned home in such fashion. Akita woke her master from his meditation to let him know that dinner was ready and that it would honor her family if he sat with them for the meal. Ty'karus agreed. His presence was a distraction and certainly put an air over the meal but he was accustomed to making people uncomfortable. He ate quietly nodded at questions and generally maintained an aloof mood.

Dessert was a large tray of baked foods, one of Akita's sisters was trying to handle the tray while talking to Akita, it was not going well. At one point it appeared that she was going to drop the tray. A nearby family member reached for the tray without thinking, she screamed as the tray burned her hand and the tray flew into the air as both of them lost control of it.

The tray stopped in midair, righted itself and floated over to the table. Everyone looked at Akita, her hand guiding the tray to an empty spot on the stove. The children squealed and cheered with delight. Akita's youngest sister Travene was clutching at her hand, tears rolled down her face. Akita gave Ty'karus a look and he nodded. "How bad is it Travene?" Akita asked. Her mother was wrapping a cold cloth around Travene's hand. "It's going to need attention or it will scar." She was trying to comfort her daughter.

"Travene, let my master take a look." The room quieted, it was clear that none of the adults thought it was a good idea, the children were all quiet waiting to see what happened. To them it was a story book come to life, playing out in their house. Ty'karus waved the girl to him. She approached as if he were a wild animal that may at any moment snap her hand clean off.

Slowly she stretched out her arm, her face was knotted in pain. Ty'karus gently removed the wet cloth and surveyed the damage, it was a second degree burn and it would normally require medical attention to prevent scaring. It was all together possible that even with treatment there would be a reduction in functionality. In spite of modern technology, medical care was not readily available to all.

Ty'karus pulled on the force, reached into the girls hand and felt the damaged tissue, he rebuilt it from the inside out. He completed the work and double checked it before letting go of her hand. Travene flexed her fingers and immediately held her hand up for everyone to see. They crowded around her and congratulated her as if she had repaired the burn herself. Ty'karus chuckled to himself.

His minor miracle elevated him in the eyes of his hosts but no so much that they were comfortable talking with him. There were a few more words sent in his direction an occasional smile or a nod but all in all he was left alone, which suited him fine.

Evening time and the lights in the house were changed to a deep orange from the bright yellow of the day. It had to do with the fact that the city was underground and did not see the sun. Akita's mother came to him and insisted that they spend the night unless they had to leave, He accepted and she showed him to the guest room.

Ty'karus sat on the bed and continued his meditation while he waited. A few hours later Akita opened the door and slipped into the room. She was a glow with emotion. She knelt down beside him on the bed, she curled up and lay her head in his lap. "Thank you master. You have no idea how much this has meant to me." She sighed clearly exhausted. They settled in for the night.

They spent the next four days with Akita's family. Ty'karus would slip out each morning and travel through the city and check on the ships. On the second day he received a brief response from his master. "Message received, continue research." Ty'karus had also arranged for both ships to be fueled and supplied.

On day four Ty'karus had completed a memory dump of Kelis C2-N2 droid and then did a full reset. He was reviewing the contents of Kelis quarters when a coded transmission was received. He transferred the file to his ship and set one of the computers to decode it. He returned to the Sharat home early in the evening.

Akita was sitting in the main room talking quietly with her mother and father when Ty'karus entered the room. He greeted them and took a seat nearby. Akita moved beside him and knelt at his feet '_When I kneel at your feet without being asked master you will know that I love you._' he recalled.

"Apprentice we need to be going soon." He said quietly. Akita nodded and moved back to sit with her parents. They spent the next hour making their good byes. There were tears and lots of hugs. Ty'karus could not help but feel awkward standing off to one side watching as he was.

Akita came to him she nodded letting him know she was ready. He stepped away from the wall and moved to the doorway. Akita's parents were waiting at the door to offer their respects to him and say a final goodbye. Ty'karus held out a small document pouch. "This is for you. For your family." Akita's mother took the pouch and opened it. A Hutt credit stick fell out into her hand. She looked back at Akita then Ty'karus.

"This payment acts as a contract between us." He started. Akita'Sharat checked the amount marked on the stick and her eyes widened. "My lord this is ten thousand credits, for what?" She asked in a whisper.

"I am Sith, it is considered weakness to help people as I would help you." Akita looked at her parents her Lekku twitched and moved, without saying a word she silently told them. "for Sith weakness is death." They signaled their understanding. Ty'karus, seeing the silent conversation concluded, continued. "So if your family is ever in need of assistance you will send word to me through my house staff, the contact info is in the package. You will tell them that you are willing to sell either or both of Akita's sisters to me. I will send you credit under the guise of purchase." He was careful about his tone and the words he used.

"My lord this is more than enough to buy..." He cut her off. Ty'karus leaned forward and lowered his voice. "Among my order I am known for my appreciation of Twi'lek women." Akita's mother blushed, her father gave him a stern but understanding look. "That I turned your daughter, a Jedi to my service is also known. If you ever have a need you will reach out to me. The Sith will understand my desire to purchase your daughters, it will be seen as nothing more than proof of my appetite. Do you understand?" Ty'karus was wondering if he had ever had a more uncomfortable conversation. '_Being nice should not be this embarrassing, its no wonder Sith frown upon it._' he thought.

Akita's parents shook their heads. They thanked him repeatedly for his patronage. Akita kissed her parents goodbye and they stepped back out into the street.

"Master I don't know what to say. What you have done will secure my family for years. Thank you." Her voice was strained, she was near tears.

"I can't take all the credit." He gave her a wide smile, with his hood up the smile was practically evil. "I found a set of Republic credit sticks on Kelis, part of her funds for her work with the bounty hunter, I would imagine. What I gave your parents was only part of it." He smiled at her. Akita was silent for a moment then burst out laughing.

"What's next master?" Akita asked as they walked away from her parent's home. "We are headed for Nar Shadda. I want to sell the Jedi corvette and perhaps buy another less noticeable one. If we can do that I will put mine in storage or return it to my home. We can then travel without drawing attention to ourselves.

Ty'karus used his comm unit to summon a taxi and they headed back to the spaceport.


	22. Chapter 22 The Price is Right

Chapter 22 The price is right

Five days alone, Ty'karus in his fury interceptor and Akita on-board Kelis Jedi corvette. Ty'karus meditated and caught up on documentation as well as the recording for his master. Akita took advantage of the time alone to gain clarity and perspective. She meditated and explored her feelings as well as the events of the last month. Akita wanted to be able to tell her master that she was truly free of doubt but to do that she needed to be sure it was true.

Five days later both ships came out of hyperspace near the fifth moon of Nal Hutta, Nar Shaddaa or the Smuglers Moon sat before them. Ty'karus immediately opened a channel to Akita and was gratified to hear her voice. "It's good to hear your voice apprentice. Please stay in orbit as we discussed. I will notify you once I have made landing arrangements. Ty'karus out." There communications were strictly business. Their communications were encrypted but Nar Shaddaa was a haven for all manner of criminal activity it was always safer to assume that your security was being monitored, better safe than sorry.

Nar Shaddaa was in Hutt space meaning it was neutral territory, the Hutts played both sides in the conflict between Empire and Republic. They separated the two factions by limiting them to specific areas of the city, as a result, Ty'karus would have to make special arrangements to land the stolen Republic vessel in the Imperial hangars.

Two hours later, three credit transfers and a promise of a favor sometime in the future and all clearances were in place and a Hutt representative would be on hand to discuss disposition of the ship. Ty'karus provided Akita with the landing protocols and headed to meet her as she landed.

Ty'karus entered the empty hangar bay and was greeted by a male Deveronian named Bilist Quron. Although skilled in negotiations, Ty'karus never liked haggling, he felt it was beneath him. Bilist introduced himself as an independent purchaser who was looking to acquire a Republic ship. He did not say who he was working for but Ty'karus had only spoken to Hutt representatives so the odds were good the Hutts wanted the ship. He didn't care why he just wanted a decent price for the ship.

"You are here to negotiate with me, have you ever negotiated with a Sith Inquisitor before Bilist?" Ty'karus asked, he wore his coldest look. His cloak wrapped around him, its hood up and his face barely visible. The Deveronian smiled ear to ear and scratched at one of his horns.

"My lord I assure you I will be fair I have a reputation to consider." Ty'karus was surprised that the Deveronian was able to talk without visibly changing the smile on his face.

"I don't care about fair Bilist, the Universe is not fair, what I care about is respect. You will present me with an offer that shows you respect me or I will kill you, and apologize to your Hutt employer. I may offer him a gift to show my respect and desire to continue dealing with him. Your employer is in the business of making profit and will accept my gift and send someone else to negotiate with me." His voice was icy cold and quiet.

Bilist pulled out a data pad keyed in an offer and attached it to a standard contract, then presented it to Ty'karus, the offer was contingent on condition of the ship but Ty'karus was not concerned as the vessel was only a few years old. He stood silently Ty'karus could sense his fear, he smiled under the hood of his robe. It was a fair price and in the range he was hoping for.

"I am glad we can do business Bilist." Ty'karus keyed his comm unit. "Apprentice you are cleared to land at pad 85 tango 47 alpha." Akita acknowledged with a coded signal. Twenty minutes later she walked down the ships ramp. When she stepped off the ramp Ty'karus noticed the change in her walk, it was slow, deliberate. Her robe was pulled up tight, her hood was up obscuring her face. Ty'karus was surprised to find his hand reflexively drop to his saber, he quickly moved it away, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

Akita closed the distance between then and knelt before him. "Master what is thy bidding?" she asked. Her voice was low there was a dusky sound to it. Bilist stepped back, he was fiddling with the transaction pad. Fear radiated from him.

Ty'karus waved her to his side, she stood and stepped next to him. "Bilist this is my apprentice Akita'Ty." Ty'karus turned to Akita. "Give Mr Quron the ships access remote apprentice." Bilist quickly keyed the transaction pad and handed it to Ty'karus. Akita handed him the remote.

"Well that concludes our business my lord. If you are ever in the need for a ship please do not hesitate to let me know, good bye." He sounded eager to be done with the Sith. Ty'karus smiled at him. "Well now that you mention it Mr Quron, I am in the market for a ship. Something durable, inconspicuous and of course, fitting of my station." The Deveronians face sank. They spent the next hour going over options until they settled on a small freighter that had been used by a local gambler turned smuggler, turned suddenly deceased ship owner. The ship was sturdy, had decent armaments and was nicely appointed. In the end Ty'karus came out ahead, with the ship and extra credits.

Bilist Quron left them standing in a nearby hangar with their new purchase. He bowed curtly and ran off as quickly as he could. Ty'karus chuckled to himself. Akita lowered the ramp and they both entered the ship. Akita reached out with the force and started her search for any devices that may have been left in place by the previous owner or the Hutt representative, Mr Quron.

There were a few hidden cameras but they tied into a console in the captain's cabin. Ty'karus left them in place. '_All in all not a bad day_' Ty'karus thought to himself. Five hours in system, four of those on the ground and they had a new ship.

"Apprentice come here." Ty'karus beckoned her to him, he had not had a chance to hold her or speak with her much since they arrived. Akita stood before him, her head still bowed, Ty'karus reached for her hood when he suddenly felt a rush of excitement and nervousness from her. He slowly pulled the hood back and was shocked to see that the left side of her face bore a slave tattoo.

"Akita what have you done!?" His shock evident in both his face and voice. Akita smiled at him. "I wanted a way to show my commitment. Do you like it?" She beamed at him.

"My beautiful apprentice, I find the marking exceptional but you did not need to do this to prove anything to me." He pulled her close reaching under her robe to wrap his arms around her waist.

"If you don't like them master we can change them." He looked confused. She smiled at him. "I pulled the designs from the Jedi database I was not certain they were accurate so I used temporary pigments." She smiled at him again clearly happy with herself for having caused him such alarm. He beamed a smile at her and she reached up and kissed him. "I am not sure but given the clothing and accessories she had, including these temporary pigments, I think Kelis may have been planning a longer stay inside Imperial space." Akita said.

When Akita left his embrace Ty'karus pulled her to the lounge seats and sat her down. "Apprentice I was serious, you have nothing to prove to me. You don't need to wear a slaves markings.

"Master will this mark not strengthen the facade we both wear, you the cold angry Sith and me the broken Jedi enslaved to her Sith master. Will this not work to our benefit and safety?" She raised an eyebrow as she awaited his response.

Ty'karus hesitated, he frowned and pulled at his chin. "Perhaps but we do not need to put the marks on your beautiful face." He said thoughtfully. He motioned for her to stand. He put his hands on her hips and slowly turned her. "I would prefer your shoulder and or perhaps your lekku, don't worry though. I know how sensitive they are, if and that's a big if, we decide to mark your lekku, I will ensure you feel no pain." His face still wore a frown. Akita sat in his hap and pulled his arms around her waist.

"Master I know there are other things we should be doing right now but I have not seen you in five days, I would also like to see your new bedroom. Are you able to indulge in some quality time with this humble slave." Her voice changed as she spoke, she looked up at him with feigned innocence that surprised him. "You are full of surprises today apprentice." He smiled, picked her up and headed for the bedroom.


	23. Chapter 23 Big Lights Big City

Chapter 23 Big lights big city

Ty'karus watched as Akita dressed. '_I will never grow tired of watching her'_ he thought. "Master may I ask how you plan on reasoning with Kelis?" Ty'karus was surprised that she would bring this up and further intrigued by her use of the word reason. He knew full well that bringing the Chiss Jedi over to their way of thinking was going to require more than just talk.

"Apprentice, I fear that Kelis will require more than just philosophical debate to walk our path. To be open, I am concerned that the work will require harsher methods. You may not want to be part of what comes next." He slid his legs out of the bed and brushed a hand through his hair.

"Master just tell me what needs to be done, and please don't leave anything out. I need to understand so that I can help." Her request sounded genuine to Ty'karus. He was concerned about how she would be affected by such work.

"It will be difficult work apprentice. There are a number of methods used with conversion and make no mistake apprentice this will be a conversion not a debate. Sith typically use methods that inspire fear and hate. A continual barrage of those emotions can break a Jedi and draw them into using the dark side. We will have to use different methods. I will need some time to formulate a plan." Ty'karus paused long enough to put his clothes on. 'How much do I tell her?' he thought to himself.

They left the bedroom and headed to the lounge. The ships protocol droid was cleaning when they walked in. Ty'karus raised a hand before the droid could start in on its inevitable diatribe. "We will take a meal in here please, C3-QR." The droid turned and waddled out of the room.

They sat down on the long couch, Akita sat beside him. "You were saying master." She urged him to continue. "Very well apprentice, but remember you asked. There are a number of less Sith methods, none of which will work while she holds the force. Her connection should be blocked for a little more than twelve days, so I will assume ten to be safe. I believe that pain and pleasure conditioning may work, it's similar to what I did to Adith just less intense." Ty'karus was not comfortable with the idea that Akita wanted to know the full nature of his work but he would keep his promise and tell her the truth. Letting her help, that was a different matter.

"How much pain master?" Akita asked quietly. "As little as is needed. I promise you." A thought occurred to him. 'If I can enhance her pleasure centers I may be able to reduce the time required.' He smiled. "It may be fortuitous that we are here on Nar Shaddaa apprentice. While I can induce pleasure as easily as pain, there are devices that allow for a more controlled application. If I can purchase a pleasure inducer I should be able to decrease the time and pain required. This is one of the few places that I know has such items and it should be relatively easy to purchase. More or less" Akita had a questioning look on her face.

"Why pleasure master?" she asked. Ty'karus noted the hesitation in her voice. "I have encountered many who have natural or trained tolerances to pain. I have yet to meet anyone who thought to develop tolerance to pleasure. It is an effective tool in my arsenal. The only down side is that in order for it to be useful it has to be at exact levels under specific conditions, hence my desire to purchase an inducer. Too much or in the wrong manner and you end up with a mindless pleasure addict that will do anything for its next fix. Kelis would be of no use to us like that. I would release her before I did that to her." Akita relaxed, yet Ty'karus could sense something in her that was still unsettled.

"Master what you did with Adith..." She saw the look on his face and knew he understood what she was going to say. "Why is Kelis so different?" She asked instead. '_Ah there it is, she thinks I am holding something back_' He smiled at Akita.

"I broke Adith, figuratively and literally. I left her personality intact, barely, and she will recover eventually, but for the foreseeable future she is suited for little more than a domestic work." He looked away from Akita. "I was angry, I wanted to hurt her for what she did to you. In the end I did not let my anger control my actions, however, I must admit that my methodology was more hammer than scalpel. I am not proud of my results." He offered honestly.

"I understand, and to be honest I won't lose any sleep over what happened to her, she tried to kill us after all." Akita stood up stretched, seeing C3-QR returning with a tray she took a seat at the table.

The food was surprisingly good, according to C3-QR, this was due to the quality of his construction and the exceptional cooking routines installed by his previous owner.

"Master, while we are out looking for the device you need, can we find a good tattoo shop, I would like to get those markings." She smiled at him over the rim of the mug she was drinking from.

"Akita I am not sure I..." her face twisted into a pout. He stopped mid-sentence. "...Apprentice if you are absolutely set on it." She beamed a smile at him. "I am just trying to do my part master and besides it's not like we are using actual Sith pincer bug acid. I can always get the tattoos removed if necessary." Ty'karus was starting to think that reintroducing a Jedi to feelings and emotions was very much like turning one into an adolescent human. '_It does make sense, after all, the last fourteen years of her life has been all about training, rules and suppressed emotions._' He thought. '_How is it that I did not take this into account_' Ty'karus was concerned with that question and that his genuine enjoyment of and feelings for Akita may be clouding his judgment.

They finished eating and prepared to head into the city. Ty'karus was seeing to security while he waited for Akita, who had insisted on changing again before they went out. Akita met him at the ships ramp, she gave him a long passionate kiss and then fell in behind him. As they walked down the ramp Akita put on her slave facade. She had come to think of it as a test of her abilities. Akita watched the passersby as they looked at her, she used her senses and the force to gauge their reactions and adjusted her demeanor accordingly. She did this while maintaining situational awareness as her combat training had taught her.

Nar Shaddaa was huge, even though the Hutts enforced a separation of Imperial and Republic forces there was no shortage of places to go and things to see. It was on the surface a lot like Coruscant. Masses of buildings that rose into the sky, bright lights everywhere and people, throngs of people. Many had the appearance of tourists they were in groups and were either taking pictures or pointing at something then taking pictures.

Akita also took note of the security forces. The Hutts are about profit and controlling profit means secure profit. As a result safety on the tourist levels was tight. The tourist attractions all had discrete security teams nearby. The walkways, shops, even the vehicles had surveillance equipment. There were food centers, casinos, pleasure houses everywhere and shops, the shops were endless. It was said that if it existed it could be purchased in Nar Shaddaa. There was very little that was illegal, as Hutts consider trade regulations little more than a missed opportunity.

The under city was an entirely different world. Akita had heard about the lower levels of Nar Shaddaa, there were much like Corucsants under city. A dangerous place where only those who have to be there, dare go. Security patrols were limited to military or near military grade droids. The place was home to refugees in the millions, criminal organizations and those who wanted or had to disappear. The under city was also contested territory plagued by constant territorial disputes and open armed conflict. Drug cartels, pirate organization to name just a few, vying for control of the lucrative business opportunities.

It took them almost an hour to find a shop that had the device that Ty'karus wanted. The shop specialized in slave management and training. Ty'karus described what he was looking for and the owner disappeared into the back of the shop and returned with what appeared to be a more ornate looking slave collar. "My lord will be pleased with this. It is of the highest quality." He handed it to Ty'karus and waited as he examined it. "My lord I should also like to point out that the device is hardened against shock and EMP." He smiled. "Interesting that you should mention that isn't it?" Ty'karus asked, there was a sudden coldness in his voice. "My lord? Ah no you mistake me for an educated man where I am not, I am just repeating what was on the documentation that comes with the device. Nothing more I assure you." Akita watched as he bowed and scraped before her master. Ty'karus purchased the device and left the shop.

Ty'karus checked his data pad and then summoned a taxi a few minutes later they were headed to one of the premier tattoo establishments. The ride was uneventful and short. They exited the taxi in front of the establishment. They entered and were met by a male Zeltronian. He was tall muscular and wore a warm and casual smile. They were taken to a consultation booth, provided beverages and assigned a consultant who would walk them through the process. All in all Akita was impressed with the experience. It took three hours to select the artist and the markings. Ty'karus had made special arrangements to be present during the actual work.

Akita had chosen her left shoulder for the tattoo, Akita settled on a stylized version of the Imperial slave symbol accompanied by a marking that identified Ty'karus as her owner. The standard was done in all black, Akita's would have gold and white added to the black. The holo preview looked good against her red skin.

Akita was settled into a comfortable chair and the artist positioned his equipment and inks. Ty'karus reached out with the force and augmented the artists mind and reflexes. The augmentation was not large but would allow him to stay focused and alert through the entire process. Ty'karus took a chair next to Akita, he placed his hand on her and let the force flow from him and into her. She smiled at him and the artist began.

His work completed the artist sat back, moved his equipment and let Akita see his work. She practically bubbled. She looked up at Ty'karus with an ear to ear grin. Ty'karus was reluctant to admit it but the work was exceptional. He had initially balked at the thought of a hand sized tattoo on her perfect skin but it did add a special something.

Ty'karus completed the transaction and offered the artist some small praise. It would not do for a Sith to appear to grateful after all. Once outside Ty'karus checked the skin around the tattoo and gave it a quick boost so that it would heal faster. The swelling subsided almost immediately and within moments Akita was able to touch it without discomfort.

"Thank you master." Akita said quietly. Ty'karus could sense something stirring in her, it smelled like satisfaction as well as the color of belonging, sometimes the way the force let one sense emotion was less than ideal. He would ask her about it later when they had privacy.

They visited a few shops on the way back to the hangar. Ty'karus purchased a few more outfits for Akita at her request. She also asked him to purchase a few for Kelis, Akita had pulled her measurements from the medical equipment attached to the stasis pod. Ty'karus suggested that it may be premature to do so. In the end Akita won out by saying that it was just as important that he believe he would succeed. "There is no try, just do!" she told him. He gave in and bought the items.

They did not return to the freighter, instead they traveled to Ty'karus interceptor. They were careful to take alternate routes and double back more than a few times. All the while they used the force to enhance their senses and detect any threats.

Once safely onboard Akita checked on Kelis while Ty'karus checked the computers progress on decoding the Jedi message. He was pleased to find that the message had been decoded successfully. He was not happy with the contents of the message. The Jedi's contact had received information that suggested that Lord Mott had hired a bounty hunter to bring Ty'karus in. Additionally it suggested that one of Lord Motts other apprentices had been dispatched with similar orders. The Jedi seemed to think that Ty'karus had fallen out of favor with his master. The message went on to suggest that this loss of favor may have something to do with a battle between Ty'karus and an apprentice named Adith.

'_He's found evidence of the drug. That has to be it._' Ty'karus thought to himself. Ty'karus knew that this was a possible outcome of recent events and he had planned for it, his plans would need to be accelerated. He needed to turn Kelis now not later and he needed to destroy all evidence of his work. All that and more he would need to do while avoiding bounty hunters and rival apprentices. '_That which is tested grows stronger._' He smiled.

He entered the cargo bay and found Akita checking the medical panels monitoring Kelis pod. "How is she?" he asked. Akita turned to him. "All signs are stable master" Ty'karus stepped forward and set the system for a slow revive cycle. He handed Akita the printout of the Jedi's message. She reviewed it then looked at him with a worried look. "Calm yourself my apprentice, all will be well as long as we can stay on schedule. We need to get this canister to the freighter and get started today. We will give it two days and then if I don't see evidence of progress we will let her go. We need another ally not dead weight or another knife at our back." Akita nodded her understanding.

They took the next hour to prep the canister, cover it and then transport it to the freighter. Ty'karus went back to the Interceptor and setup a number of false leads as well as wiping all personal data from the computer. He pulled a data storage device from the wall safe and transferred all the data to the ships computer. He kept an active second log running on a stand-alone terminal. It had accurate time stamps for all entries. The entries all had a ring of truth to them '_A convenient truth is better than a lie in most cases_' he recalled telling Akita, words he lived by.

The logs also showed that he had discovered the illegal unsanctioned activities of the scientist that worked on the force dampening drug. The documents linked him to the information provided to Sith and Imperial Intelligence, it was, after all, true he had been the one that informed on the scientists. His journal went into great detail as to the potential threat that the drug represented. His notes also suggested that Sith Alchemy may be able to provide an antidote or vaccine to prevent the drug from being used against Sith force users.

Time was now against him more than ever before. It put a smile on his face. He was still Sith enough to recognize the challenge, to know that this would either be a triumph or his end. It was exciting and it made him feel alive.


	24. Chapter 24 Propaganda Lies and More Lies

Chapter 24 Propaganda lies and more lies

Ty'karus took the next four hours to prep one of the rooms into a holding cell, he sealed all the access plates, removed all objects from the room then put the items back only after each had been examined for potential tools, weapons or any other useful materials.

He went to the engineering room and manually disconnected all the power to the room, except that supporting the surveillance gear and room lights. He ensured that no vital systems were behind the walls in the room. Ty'karus did not believe in luck but he was none the less happy to find that the room was suitable and met his needs.

A basic bed was moved into the room along with a cage that they had purchased. Transporting animals was a common practice, Ty'karus was reasonably sure that no eyebrows were raised by the purchase.

He gave the room one last review, with access to the force escape would be as simple as peeling the door off its frame and walking out. Without the force it was as secure as any prison cell. He took the time to clear his thoughts and center himself. This kind of work was once his favorite, it had exhilarated him, it was his art form and it was his offering to the dark side of the force. Now it was a careful exercise that required absolute attention to detail. He could not let himself enjoy or feel too much during the process. He took a deep breath and left the room.

Kelis woke from a fog, she opened her eyes slowly, she was pleasantly surprised to be alive, she had been betrayed by the Jedi she had come to rescue. '_It's not her fault, the Sith corrupted her._' She thought. Kelis was not herself, she took a moment to clear her mind with the force. Nothing happened. Fear set in, she reached out again, and then she clawed at the force with her mind. Desperation filled her. '_Gone! It's gone._' Her mind screamed. '_There is no emotion, there is peace._' She repeated it over and over until she felt her heart slow its desperate attempt to jump out of her chest.

She focused herself and was happy to find her fear subside into the background. She was naked, sitting in the dark and there was something around her neck, cold hard. Her fingers felt it, a slave collar '_no doubt explosive_' she thought. Her fear crept out of the darkness and sat down beside her. It whispered in her ear and caressed her naked body.

Kelis was well trained. It did not take her long to come to the conclusion that her condition was not just the result of fear but also from her separation from the force. All her life she had felt the force moving through her. It was part of her in every way and now it was gone. She was suffering from a form of withdrawal, the uncontrollable shakes were evidence of this as was her inability to think properly.

The door slid open with a hiss and Kelis covered her eyes from the sudden burst of light. Akita moved to the middle of the room and sat down on the floor outside Kelis's cage. The door slid shut and she was back in the dark. A moment later there was a soft glow from a small chemical lantern. Akita placed it on the floor beside her.

"Iwelith, please you have to help me. I don't know what he has done to you but I want to help." Kelis was careful to avoid statements that may anger Iwelith. It was clear that she was under the spell of the Sith.

"My name is Akita, Akita Ty." She turned, held the lantern up to her shoulder and proudly displayed her slave tattoo. Kelis blanched '_Oh my dear friend I am so sorry I was not able to rescue you in time_' she thought.

"Very well Akita, tell me what happened to you." If she could reason with Akita, if she could show her that she still had more in common with her than the Sith perhaps she could help them both. Ty'karus watched from the captain's cabin, the surveillance panel allowed him to see and hear all that happened in Kelis cell. Kelis was intelligent, she was trying to build a connection with her captor.

Over the next hour Ty'karus watched and listened as Kelis followed interrogation techniques in order to illicit feedback and responses from Akita. He made notes in his mind, checking off tools in his mental arsenal, moving others to the fore and some to the back. He was bit by bit building a toolbox and a plan of attack.

Two hours later he knocked twice on the cell door, a signal to Akita that it was time to come out. She picked up the lantern and left the room. Leaving Kelis alone in the dark. Chiss eyes provided excellent low light vision but this room was pitch black, all she could make out were rough shapes.

Ty'karus hugged Akita, he pulled her close and kissed her. He took her face in his hands. "How are you apprentice?" he asked. She smiled a weak smile. "I am fine master but she is scared, just like I was when I woke up. She desperately wants to believe that you are somehow controlling me." She frowned, Ty'karus could feel the conflict in her.

"I will free her right now if you wish. We will continue on our own and find another way. It will be hard but I am willing." He kept his voice soft, calm. He did not want to influence her, this needed to be her choice.

"No master, I know what she is going through, I feel for her but I know that if we succeed she will know true freedom and we will have another ally. I am concerned though, she seems to be suffering more than I did." Akita's concern was greater than she let on, Ty'karus could feel it.

"You were asleep for the first few days due to your injuries, you were spared the withdrawal that she is going through. I am sorry there is little we can do for her." He told her truthfully. "Come you should rest." He smiled at Akita and sent her to rest.

Once Akita had rested Ty'karus asked her to take Kelis from her cage, get her washed and fed. She was not to be given clothing. Ty'karus remained out of sight.

Once Kelis had been allowed to shower and eat, Akita returned her to the cage. "My master will be here shortly to talk with you. Kelis, if you are open and honest with him, you will have nothing to fear. He is not what you think." Akita left the room without waiting for a reply. Ty'karus let her sit for an hour before entering the room. He took a seat in the chair in front of the cage.

"Before we begin we will discuss the rules. I will answer your questions, you will answer mine. Both of us will be truthful. Where we cannot or will not answer we will do our best provide understanding as to why. Yes?" His head tilted slightly to one side, his eyes searching her face.

"In this way we will have peace, knowledge and harmony. I trust this meets with your approval?" his words were warm, soothing. Kelis searched his face, her body still ached, she could barely think straight. She knew that to survive she needed to keep her captors talking, the longer she remained alive the better her chances of rescue.

"I agree." She replied. Ty'karus smiled.

The next two days consisted of conversation and review of the Sith and Jedi practices and philosophies. The sessions were not intended to be argumentative but rather simple review and open dialog. The purpose of which was to create understanding as well as a baseline. Ty'karus was sufficiently encouraged by the results to continue with the next phase.

On the third day Ty'karus spent time with Akita, he needed to make sure she understood what came next. Her agreement and participation were key. Akita was surprisingly understanding and supportive.

Akita spent some time early in the morning with Kelis, they talked about the last two days and also about the time they spent together as apprentices. The conversation was somewhat strained but Akita felt that Kelis attitude had shifted a bit. Akita could sense doubt in her old friend as well as anger. 'It's probably for the best that she does not have access to the force right now.' Akita thought. Ty'karus knocked on the door. As Akita left her friend she reminded her that honesty was the only thing Ty'karus wanted from her.

Ten minutes later Ty'karus hit the door button, the door opened letting light spill into the room. He let the droid push the cart into the room and followed behind it. He stood silently as the droid left the room. He keyed the lights to twenty five percent and took a seat in front of the cage that held Kelis.

He keyed the holo projector. Ty'karus had pulled archived data and news feeds from all over the galaxy and put together a series of recordings from before the treaty of Coruscant, that showed the results of Sith and Jedi conflicts. The recordings and the accompanying narration were all accurate and truthful. He had made no attempt to color the information in favor of one side or the other.

"We are going to review a series of recordings. At the end of each you will be provided with a question or a statement. Depending on your response you will be rewarded or punished. Failure to respond in a preset amount of time will result in punishment." He picked up a blanket from the cart and handed it to her through the bars of the cage. Kelis looked at it for a moment. Ty'karus could see her mind working, asking herself if taking the blanket was in any way a sign of surrender. Finally she took the blanket and wrapped it around herself.

"Why are you doing this? I will never turn to the dark side." He could hear the conviction in her voice. '_Good keep focused on that, it will be your undoing._' He thought to himself.

"You may wish to rephrase your first question as you are clearly unaware of what I am doing." He sat quietly and waited. No Sith was chosen for training as an inquisitor unless he or she possessed patients.

Kelis was still shaking, sweat ran down her face. "Very well Sith." She practically spat the words at him. "What are you going to do with me?" she asked.

"I am going to do something for you that the Jedi never would. I am going to show you the truth. Then when you are feeling better, I will return your connection to the force and let you decide your future and for the first time you will choose where you stand of your own free will." He keyed the holo projector and with a wave of his hand killed the lights in the room.

Kelis felt a wave of desperate hope rush through her, had the Sith just said he was going to return her connection to the force? This meant it was not permanently severed. Or he was just playing with her. Kelis worked to bring her emotions in check, she failed.

The first recording began it was a short five minute news highlight from some distant area of the galaxy, it outlined the impact of Sith activities and the associated cost in Republic lives. A statement scrolled along the bottom of the holo recording. 'The loss of life caused by the Sith is unacceptable to a civilized society'. Ty'karus paused the recording.

"Agree or disagree?" he kept his tone even. "Agree, the Empire has no regard for life." Tired, sick and suffering from withdrawal and yet still so defiant. Ty'karus admired her resolve. He activated the collar. It sent a rush to her pleasure centers. Kelis gasped, she grabbed the bars and held on as the wave of pleasure fell on her. Her eyes were wide and her body shook. Ty'karus moderated the flow, it would not do to over load her.

Kelis gathered herself she pulled the blanket back over herself, it had fallen to the ground when she grabbed the bars to steady herself. She felt exposed in front of this Sith. Shame also found its way into her mind as she realized that it was this Sith who had just caused her ecstasy.

Before she could fully recover the next recording started. Republic relief efforts were expected to arrive on Belthas IV but the news recording showed that the support ships had been redirect at the urging of the Jedi. Something to do with ongoing conflict that needed the resources more. Loss of life on Belthas IV was estimated in reach tens of thousands. The statement scrolled in front of the recording. 'The loss of life attributed to Jedi actions is unacceptable to a civilized society'.

"Agree or disagree?" Ty'karus had chosen the first set of recordings carefully, he needed to illicit specific reactions to challenge her. He also knew that she was measuring his response to her answers. It was, as far as Ty'karus was concerned, the purest form of one on one combat.

"Agree or disagree?" he raised his voice slightly. Kelis fidgeted, she was struggling with how to respond. "We are at war. It is a fact of life that sometimes people suffer for the greater good. I am not happy about…" She screamed as he punished her with the force. She writhed on the floor, her back arched. He let her go and she lay still for a moment. When he saw that she was trying to get up he used the force to pull her to her feet and put the blanket back in place. Her face was defiant but she would not meet his gaze.

Ty'karus stood, he walked over to the cage, his hands were clasped behind his back. Kelis held the bars to steady herself, again the blanket fell from her, she did not have the strength to pick it up. "I am not looking for the Jedi response Kelis, I am asking you to provide a personal opinion. You do have those don't you?" He leaned in close. "Agree or disagree?" it was almost a whisper.

Kelis stood before him naked, her hands wrapped around the bars holding herself up, she made no move to cover herself, and she was not going to give him the satisfaction of knowing it bothered her to have him see her like this. A million thoughts raced through her mind. Defiance turned to anger. She wanted to hurt him to make him suffer. A warning scratched at the back of her mind, she worked with all her strength to focus, but it was so hard. Sweat poured down her body. "Agree." She pushed the words through gritted teeth.

Ty'karus stood ready, once again he let a wave of pleasure wash over Kelis, her grip on the bars failed. Ty'karus shot his arm through the bars and steadied her. Kelis grabbed on to his arm as her body twitched at the pleasure she felt. For a moment all her pain was insignificant, a smile rushed over her face and her knees were weak.

Ty'karus continued with the recordings for another five hours. When he left the room Kelis was passed out in the cage. Akita had been watching from the monitor in their room and met him as he left the makeshift prison.

"Master you need to rest. I will take over." That surprised Ty'karus, it showed on his face. "Let her rest for an hour then please take her out let her wash and feed her. Do not talk to her, it is important that she be alone in her mind with the events so far."

Ty'karus continued this process for the next three days. The sessions rotated but were always eight hours followed by four hours of rest. By the end of the day he rewarded Kelis by removing her from the cage and letting her sleep in the bed.

Day seven was the same, by the end of the day Ty'karus directed Akita to provide Kelis with clothing. Akita chose one of the more modest outfits. By day eight Ty'karus had moved to the next phase, Kelis was no longer required to spend time in the cage it was left open in the cell.

Kelis answers almost always resulted in positive reinforcement and allowed him to move to the next phase. On a correct answer Kelis was congratulated for her choice but pleasure was only provided if she asked for it. Asking her captor for pleasure worked to erode her resistances and form a dependency on him. Ty'karus was pleased with her progress and equally surprised at her resiliency. Despite the level of her conditioning, she addressed him as master only occasionally. Given her overall progress he did not think it a serious issue and decided to move to the next phase.

This next phase included longer discussions in personal decision making. They reviewed new recordings that showed past and present activities of both the Sith and Jedi. Kelis was required to provide feedback on how she would have handled the related situations if she had the power and authority. None of her answers were treated as wrong or right so there was no use of pain. She was still allowed to request pleasure at various points in the conversation. Ty'karus monitored her emotions and thoughts with the force and cautioned her only when he felt she was telling him what he wanted to hear. "I don't want you to tell me what you think I want to hear, I value your opinion, tell me what you would have done." He would tell her.

By the end of the ninth day Ty'karus left the door open and asked Kelis to join them for dinner. At first she was quiet almost sullen, but as she watched Ty'karus and Akita talk over dinner she opened up a bit and attempted to join the conversation. After dinner Ty'karus took her back to her room and spent some time talking with her.

"I have a question master." She paused waiting for permission to continue. Ty'karus nodded. "I know you are Sith but these last days, your questioning, the discussions. You show no interest in supporting the Sith. I can sense that you are loyal to the Empire but you don't show, that is to say, it seems clear you have no more love for the Sith than I do." Although she had not directly asked a question Ty'karus could knew what she was getting at. He smiled.

"So why am I trying to convert you to the dark side, is that your question?" he chuckled. Kelis frowned, she had learned to dislike his chuckle. It was aggravating. "Yes, your actions speak to a different purpose. I don't have my force senses but I no longer believe you are what I initially thought you were. Why not let go of your hate and join the Jedi." There was fear in her voice, it was accompanied with doubt and shame. Ty'karus reached into her thoughts and took a deep breath.

"Do you still believe I am trying to pull you to the dark side? Or is that your Jedi voice talking, I am a Sith therefore I can have no other agenda, is that it?" his voice had a sad sound to it.

Kelis searched his face, there was an ache in her chest. She did not want to answer, she knew it would be her undoing. "No, yes, I mean." her voice caught in her throat. Ty'karus knew it was time. He took another deep breath and lifted her chin upward so her eyes met his.

"I have no desire to pull you into the dark nor do I want to leave you alone in the light. I am a shadow, I live in the land between. I am free to feel, to think for myself. I believe that the Jedi and Sith will never stop fighting. Maybe thousands of years from now, they will finally annihilate one another. Maybe then there will be peace, but until that happens the toll on innocent lives will continue to grow. Caught in the middle millions, billions maybe more, will perish." He paused. Kelis had tears welling in her eyes. He took her face in his hand and wiped at her tears.

"The force is all around us, it penetrates us, binds us. The force is balance. Only the Jedi and the Sith seek extremes. Only they fight against the will of the force." He leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead, she made no move to stop him. He smiled at her as he left the room. Kelis sat on her bed. Something inside her tipped, her doubt and anger were fading.

"Good night apprentice." He turned and left the room. Kelis noted that the door did not slide shut. She made no move to leave her bed.

The tenth day was filled with frustration. Ty'karus directed the questions, how would Shadow's be different than Jedi or Sith? Kelis wanted to believe that if the galaxy had rid itself of the conflict between Jedi and Sith it would be a fantastic place free of pain and suffering. True to form Ty'karus told her the truth. If all force users vanished overnight, the galaxy would still have suffering and pain. The differences would be subtle. This angered Kelis visibly, Ty'karus knew that she was trying to find a larger meaning. Something that would justify her turning her back on the Jedi order. Ty'karus gave her only one word. Hope. The possibility that without the constant threat of Jedi vs. Sith, the galaxy would be safer, less conflicted.

"Master perhaps we could talk to the Jedi Council explain to them how the past is constantly repeating itself, conflict after conflict, centuries of suffering all in the name of Sith or Jedi agenda and dogma. Maybe they will see." He raised his hand and she fell silent.

"Maybe they will see reason? More likely they will brand us rebels or abominations. They will either kill us or banish us to the edges of known space." He chuckled and Kelis growled in frustration. "Then what's the point?" she howled.

"Just because the task is difficult does not mean it should not be attempted. It is my hope that if we gather enough who believe as we do, perhaps we can work behind the scenes to guide a gentler response from both sides. If I can embrace the light enough to understand compassion and you can brave the dark enough to understand the passion that drives the Sith we can, together, push little by little, maybe then we can make a difference." Kelis paced back and forth across the floor.

"Maybe we won't change the galaxy but we may save lives. It will be like a tug trying to turn a dreadnaught. Given enough time and enough of us, we may avert conflict. Not all at once but eventually." Her voice was hopeful.

"Apprentice, you must also face the fact that it may not happen in our lifetimes. We may be nothing more than seeds. It may be others that come after us, that have learned from us, that actually see change." Ty'karus wore a thoughtful smile as he spoke. Kelis stopped pacing and took a seat on the floor at his feet.

They spent the rest of the day and the next, reviewing her life and discussing things she would like to experience. Kelis had been taken from her home as a child. She had no recollection of her family. When she was an apprentice she had investigated their whereabouts during a moment of weakness. Akita had told her of her family reunion and it had intrigued Kelis. It was clear to Ty'karus that she was not completely comfortable talking with him about certain things, he left it alone and did not push.

The morning of day eleven and Ty'karus waited for Kelis to wake. Finding her door still open she wandered out into the lounge. Ty'karus and Akita were having breakfast she hesitantly joined them. Once they were done Ty'karus asked her to kneel at his feet. She immediately took a step toward him then froze as she saw the smile on Akita's face. Ty'karus waved her forward and she slowly stepped forward and knelt at his feet. He lifted her chin so that he could access the collar. A moment later the collar was off. He pulled Kelis to her feet and took her by the hand.

Akita pulled something from between the couch cushions and followed them out of the lounge and through the hallway. Ty'karus walked through the ship holding Kelis hand, she flinched when she realized how nice it felt to hold onto someone like this. Ty'karus stopped at the top of the ships ramp. Akita stood next to him with her hands behind her back.

"Before this day is over your connection to the force will return." Ty'karus smiled at her. Kelis felt her heart jump. He reached out and the ramp activated. He looked to Akita and she pulled her hands out from behind her back. She held out a hand to Kelis. There in her hand was Kelis's lightsaber, Kelis took it, there was a stunned look on her face. Akita hugged Kelis then stepped back. Ty'karus smiled at Kelis.

"It is your time to choose. If you stay I can promise you nothing." He kissed her on the cheek. "May the force be with you." He took Akita by the hand and they walked back down the hall leaving Kelis standing alone at the top of the ramp.


	25. Chapter 25 Dirty Old Man

Chapter 25 Dirty old man

Kelis stood at the top of the ramp and looked down. Beyond lay the hangar and a path back to the Jedi. When she had set out to rescue Iwelith, now Akita, she had been confident in her mission and committed to the Jedi cause. Now she was a different person. She loved the Republic and the Jedi, but she now saw a larger truth. Balance was the only way to truly serve the force, to be true to the force. Neither the Jedi nor the Sith wanted anything to do with this idea. Both wanted to see the end of the other through any means regardless of the cost in innocent lives.

Kelis stood at the top of the ramp for what seemed an eternity, her feet felt glued to the floor. Anger flowed through her, she reached deep trying to let it go. A familiar tingle formed behind her eyes. Slight at first then like pins and needles it spread through her body. When it subsided she knew the force had returned to her. As happy as she was at that moment it made no difference to her current plight. If she stayed she would be turning her back on her former life, if she left, could she return to the Jedi but what would happen the next time she was given a directive that she knew in her heart was wrong. Her anger flared, she could not recall being angry like this in the past. It hurt when she realized the reason. '_I have never cared as much as I do now_' she thought. A Sith had taught her that the Jedi suppress emotions not only to avoid the dark side but to ensure unquestioning loyalty. Detachment is a double edged sword. Her anger built, there was a vibration in the ship, nearby something fell off of a shelf. A moment later Ty'karus and Akita were beside her.

"Kelis calm yourself." Akita begged her. She reached out and put her arms around her in a gentle hug. Kelis looked past Akita at Ty'karus. "Master please tell me what to do." She pleaded. He sighed and gave her a thin smile. "I can't, I won't. Freedom has a price, for you, this is it. You must choose." He stepped back and leaned against the bulkhead wall.

Kelis pulled away from Akita. "Was it like this for you Akita? Did he twist you with pleasure and pain? Then leave you, abandon you to flounder lost, angry!" Her voice was stressed and Akita could feel the dark side growing in her.

"No, it was not like that. He did not hurt me, as a matter of fact I almost killed him, but he would not fight back, even to save his own life." Her eyes were locked with Kelis. She looked at Akita with shock in her eyes. "Why don't you let me tell you how it was for me, if you're willing to hear me out?" Akita asked. Kelis shook her head in agreement, Ty'karus could see the anger drain away. '_I know how to pick them, who would have thought that a consular could be such a hot head. Nobody to blame but yourself, you knew this was not going to be easy_' he thought to himself. Ty'karus sat at the far end of the lounge and watched quietly as the two talked.

The conversation took the better part of two hours. Kelis frequently exploded with a loud 'What!' there were a number of 'He didn't' and more than a few 'you're not serious'. Once again it struck Ty'karus that unlocking a Jedi from their dogma of repression and emotional suppression seemed to regress them into an almost adolescent state. Ty'karus made a mental note to try and find a more mature Jedi should they decide to do this again.

Ty'karus was mulling things over when Kelis stood before him. He smiled and arched an eyebrow.

"Akita speaks highly of you. If I am going to stay I would like to know more about you. All I currently know is based on our conversations and we both know that you controlled those." She had her hands on her hips and her emotions were charged.

"I will answer any questions you have but I need you to center yourself. Please" he said quietly. He watched as Kelis folded her hands together and took a few deep breaths. A smile crossed her face as she took hold of the force. A moment later her emotions calmed.

"Very good, now what would you like to know" 'this should be interesting' he thought.

Kelis took a seat across from him, she folded her arms across her chest. "What kind of man do you consider yourself?" she asked. "I am a monster." He responded without hesitation. Kelis looked shocked. Akita had heard the answer and she came over and sat down beside him "You are not a monster." She came to his defense.

"I am a monster, the things I have done, cannot be washed away with a few years of contrition." He said in a quiet tone. Ty'karus made sure he maintained eye contact with Kelis, he wanted to give her every opportunity to see his honesty. He knew she was testing him with the force, it did not bother him though.

"If it were within my power to kill every single Jedi and Sith, I would do so without reservation." He smiled, "present company excluded of course." Kelis paused, her face had an unsure look to it. Ty'karus smiled at her. "What? You were expecting me to lie, to make excuses for my life?" he arched an eyebrow at her. "Yes, actually, I was." She said. Ty'karus chuckled.

"You are asking the wrong question Kelis. I once told Akita the same thing. You Jedi seem so unwilling to ask what you really want to know. That small question the one causing an itch in there." He pointed to her forehead. Kelis starred at him for a while, he could feel the doubt and confusion building in her then it changed. She was on the edge things could go either way. Ty'karus needed to be careful. Kelis stood and pushed her chair towards the table and leaned on the back of the chair.

"What happens next if I stay?" she held his eyes unflinchingly. Ty'karus frowned. "We hide, listen, learn and try to find others who feel as we do or convince them if the opportunity arises. But you should also know that the next few weeks will be quite possibly the most challenging and potentially dangerous of your life. If we live beyond that, we three will be alone, living under a façade in a galaxy where the powers that be want to chew us up and spit out the bones. Just so you don't have any illusion going into this." A smile crawled up the right side of his face. It gave Kelis a shiver.

"Was that the Sith version of a motivational speech?" she laughed. Ty'karus relaxed, let out a small sigh. "Do you have any other questions now that the big one is out of the way?" he leaned forward ensuring his body language showed he was still engaged and paying attention to her. Kelis pulled at the straps of her clothing. "Can I get out of this, thing?" she asked with a laugh. "No." Ty'karus response surprised Kelis "What? Why not and what makes you think you can dictate what I wear?" her anger began a slow burn.

"You are free to go Kelis I am not dictating anything I am simply telling you that we are quite literally living covert lives. If you want to return to the Republic you are free to do so, I cannot and you know it." He took Akita's hand in his. "We want to be together and that means staying here in the Empire, at least for the foreseeable future. To do that we need to live at least in appearance, by their rules." Kelis cut him off, her hands were once again firmly planted on her hips. Ty'karus noted the warning sign for future reference.

"And that mean dressing like we are part of your harem of broken Jedi slaves? Perhaps you enjoy seeing us like this, is that it?" Akita was on her feet she reached out to calm Kelis. Kelis shook her hand off and stepped back. Ty'karus stood "Kelis calm yourself. I think you need to rest. It would appear that what I put you through has taken its toll on you. I am sorry." He offered. Kelis did not seem interested in taking a rest. She took a few deep breaths and her anger slid into the background.

"There better?" her words were still acidic but not as angry.

Ty'karus and Akita returned to their seats. "Kelis I have promised to be honest where ever I can, are you sure you want my honest answer?" Kelis cocked her head to one side and gave him an exasperated look. "Very well as long as you do your best to stay calm I will do my best to answer your question." Kelis

"The clothing that you and Akita wear makes you look like slaves, I imagine that coming from the Republic it's seen as demeaning, as a Jedi it's shameful. But those outfits are like armor. Most people including imperial officials and some Sith will ignore you, some will look down on you as well. In the end they will underestimate you. Ultimately that gives you power, it serves our purposes" He emphasized 'our purposes'.

"Having two former Jedi as apprentices or slaves for that matter only serves to raise my profile, a blessing and a curse. I am envied more but at the same time less scrutinized as I am seen as an example of what a Sith can accomplish." Kelis did not like the answer but it was clear that she understood what he was getting at.

Kelis crossed her arms over her chest. "So you're saying that these outfits protect us and secure your position at the same time, am I supposed to believe that this has nothing to do with the fact that you enjoy looking at us like this?" her voice was accusatory

"Both of you are exceptionally beautiful women, I have often wondered why so many female force users are so beautiful, in any case the answer to your question is yes. I find watching you, being around you to be most intoxicating." Akita giggled, Kelis blushed. Her emotions changed again.

"Please calm yourself and let me continue." He waited once again while Kelis calmed herself. Ty'karus reached out and augmented her connection to the force. It hit Kelis like a blast of cold air, she shuddered. As a Consular she had similar training and ability and immediately understood what he had done. "Thank you." She said with a thin smile. Ty'karus noticed something change in her, he would have to investigate later.

"If you decide to stay you should know that from time to time, while in public, I will touch you, put my arm around you, I may kiss you or grab you." His voice was matter of fact, there was no humor or sarcasm present. Kelis was about to offer an objection but Ty'karus continued. "If you are to look like slaves or apprentices to a Sith, We must act the part. Akita will help you understand what is required. Rest assured though Kelis I will never push you. It is not in my nature to take, not in this area, you have my word on that." He could feel Kelis poking around in his mind, testing his responses. He did little to stop her.

Kelis face was still flushed.

"Lastly there is benefit to you as former Jedi." He smiled. "Let me explain. You Jedi spend your entire lives suppressing your emotions, you do so in the name of serving the greater good. Yet by separating yourself from the people you serve you no longer understand them, you are no longer part of them." Kelis let out a long sigh of frustration. Ty'karus frowned. "You have something to say Kelis?" he asked.

"Master we covered this line of thought during our talks. I understand the disguise angle, I can even appreciate the fact that misdirection will give us an advantage. I fail to see how dressing like this and acting like slaves or your apprentices will help us be better people or reintegrate into society" In spite of his augmentation and her own attempts to calm herself, Kelis was looking near exhaustion. Ty'karus was concerned. '_She needs to sleep even if I have to force her to_' he thought.

"You have lived your life as part of the Republic elite. Isolated but revered, here in the Empire you are feared as Sith apprentices and looked down on as slaves. Your understanding of the people around you will change as will your perceptions of what it is to be part of the whole."

Kelis looked exhausted. "Master would you mind if I slept for a while then gave you my decision?" she asked "Of course. Take your time." Kelis left the lounge and headed to the room that had been her prison.

With the morning came clarity and peace. Kelis found herself centered and relaxed. The anger of the previous day washed away. She rose and ran through her Jedi Consular meditations. As she did this she noticed something laying on the chair in the room. A set of Jedi garments. She picked them up, felt the material, smelled the leather belt and rubbed the tunic against her face. She stood there with the garment pressed against her naked body until she found her answer.

Kelis folded the garment and laid it across the chair where she found it. She took the time to brush out the wrinkles and arrange it to perfection. She turned and picked up the garment that Akita had picked out for her days earlier. It was leather, straps and thigh high armored boots. It was a disguise nothing more. She put it on and walked to the door. The door slid open with a hiss. She stepped into the doorway and left Kelis in the room. She walked slowly through the ship her steps had purpose, she placed each foot down on the deck as if part of some ancient ritual. Ty'karus and Akita were in the lounge, they rose to meet her.

She gave Akita a brief thin smile then turned to face Ty'karus. "Akita told me that this path is a rebirth and that I will need a new name." Akita reached out and grabbed Kelis hand and bounced excitedly. "If you walk this path you are reborn a Shadow yes." Ty'karus said. Kelis gave Akita a smile. "Master I would like to stay and walk this path with the both of you. My name is Valenya." she bowed her head.

Akita beamed, she hugged Valenya and pulled her into a seat. "I am so happy Valenya. We have so much to talk about." Ty'karus let them be, he had other things to attend to.

Later that morning Valenya found him on the bridge. "Master may I ask you something?" her voice was calm. Ty'karus sensed her anger issues from yesterday were gone, there was a calmness over her. "Of course Valenya."

"Akita is so, happy." She paused, her face gave no hint of emotion but her thoughts told a different story. Ty'karus could tell she wanted to know how but was afraid it would change her, that she would lose herself.

"You want to know if this will happen to you?" he asked. Valenya nodded. "Only if you want it to." He waited for her to ask more, he knew she would.

"How do I start?" Ty'karus sensed no fear, no confusion. Valenya was using the force to control and suppress her emotions.

"You start slow. First you need to let go of your emotional control. Use the force to suppress anger, fear, and hate, any emotion directly tied to the dark side. Everything else you embrace. If you are embarrassed, happy, sad, you embrace it and examine the feelings. Our goal is to understand how these feelings affect us how we can use them without fearing them." He gave her his most reassuring look.

Valenya closed her eyes for just a moment. Ty'karus could feel her emotional barriers drop. Her fear spiked, he remained silent. A moment later he smiled as he felt her use the force to stifle the fear.

"You have taken your first steps into a greater world." He smiled at her. "Now I would recommend you speak with Akita, she can give you a more Jedi perspective on what to expect." Valenya nodded and left the bridge.


	26. Chapter 26 Bounty Hunters and Bad Guys

Chapter 26 Bounty hunters and bad guys

Ty'karus eyes snapped open a few seconds before the ships alarm sounded. The alert indicated someone was seeking permission to come aboard. Ty'karus swung his legs out of bed, he grabbed his lightsaber and headed for the hatch.

Valenya was already at the door and Akita was only a few steps behind him. Valenya keyed the viewer and cursed. There on the screen was a tall male dressed in full Mandalorian armor.

"A bounty hunter, oh that's great." Valenya was shaking her head. Ty'karus smiled and hit the ramp button. There was a loud hiss and the door opened and the ramp slid down into place. Ty'karus took a few steps back and signaled for Valenya and Akita to move away from the doorway.

The bounty hunter walked up the ramp slowly, his left hand rested on his blaster, his right hand was hidden behind his back. "Hello anyone home?" he shouted up the ramp. A moment later Ty'karus could see his helmet come into view up the ramp. "Casius you mind putting that thing away!" The bounty hunter yelled. Ty'karus paused for a moment then laughed as he realized that he was naked.

"Come on up Gil it won't bite, besides you're armed what are you worried about?" Ty'karus laughed. Gil took another step forward then stopped. "Any chance the two of you watching the door could move to where I can see you?" he paused waiting for an answer. Ty'karus waved the women away from the door. Akita stepped forward and took up a position to her masters right. Valenya sighed and copied Akita taking up a position on Ty'karus left.

The bounty hunter reached the top of the ramp and let out a long whistle. "It's no wonder you're not dressed. Good evening ladies." He said. Gil looked around briefly then hit the ramp button. The ramp and door hissed shut. Gil removed his helmet. He was human in appearance and tall, Valenya would have put him at six foot six. There were a number of scars on the right side of his face and a cybernetic implant device where his right eye had once been. His red hair was bristle short.

"You here on business Gil?" Ty'karus asked quietly. Gil smiled, Akita noted that it was an infectious smile and smiled back at him. "Yeah, but no worries, I am not stupid enough to take a bounty on you, well ok I am but I certainly wouldn't walk up the ramp and knock if I was here for you." He chuckled. Ty'karus relaxed and returned the bounty hunters smile.

"No I suppose you're not. So to what do we owe the pleasure?" Ty'karus asked. "Well as eager as I am to swap stories you mind if we put that off until your Sith is covered?" Akita laughed out loud. Valenya's eyes widened in surprise. Ty'karus nodded, "Lounge is that way. Make yourself at home." Ty'karus headed for his cabin leaving the two Jedi with Gil. Valenya pointed him to the lounge, he nodded and strolled through the ship.

Ty'karus joined them a short while later, Gil was happy to see him clothed. "Drink before or after business Cas?" Gil asked. He held out a bottle of Prathian ale, he had been hiding it in behind his back as he came on board.

"After, if you don't mind Gil." Ty'karus waved the women to sit. Valenya took a chair and sat between the Gil and Ty'karus. Akita sat in her master's lap, her arm wrapped around his neck. Gil winked at her, she smiled back at him. Valenya was sure she was going to be sick.

"Okay boss well it isn't pretty. First ones free, we both know I owe you. Second is going to cost, standard rate assuming you find it worthwhile." Ty'karus nodded agreement.

"Well I am not sure what you did to piss off the Republic but they have had agents and yes that's plural, looking into your activities. I got wind when I was on a hunt, sometimes information comes from the strangest places. Anyhow, as far as I can gather one is assigned to your current activities and the other is back tracking your travels. Any of that mean anything to you?" Gil tried to look casual but his emotions were being read by three force users, the look on his face suggested he knew that but was playing the game anyway.

"I am a minor cog in the vast imperial machine, they are more than likely after something that my master is involved with or that he has involved me in." Ty'karus said with an even voice.

Gil smiled at him. "Couldn't have anything to do with the fact that you have corrupted these two fine upstanding Jedi beauties, could it?" he smiled out of one side of his face. Valenya felt her face flush. She used the force to calm her anger, she was about to do the same with the other emotions but remembered what she had been told. She was surprised at how hard it was to leave the emotions to run their course.

"No. Republic Intelligence does not get involved in such things. Jedi deal with Jedi matters, that includes my pets." He said confidently. Ty'karus fondled Akita, she in turn kissed him hard on the mouth. Gil raised an eyebrow. "I would almost like to have a problem like that, almost." Gil turned his eyes to Valenya, he looked her up and down, making no attempt to hide his enjoyment of her body. Ty'karus cleared his throat and leaned forward. "Are you going to tell me or are you going to make me ask, Gil?" Ty'karus gave him a curious look.

"I was trying to decide if I charge you for this part or just throw it in as a good will gesture." Ty'karus shook his head. "No more debts between us Gil, if it's good I will pay for it as well. Fair is fair." Ty'karus leaned forward. Gil nodded and put a data chip on the table.

"Two files on that, Mako did the heavy lifting getting those, you can thank her next time you see her. First one is info on the agents on your trail, it aint much but it's better than nothing, unless of course they let me get it." He scratched at his chin for a moment. "Sneaky lot those agents. Second file is a recording and pics of the person who sold me your location. Once he figures out I didn't bag you, my money says he will sell the info to someone else, double his profits." Ty'karus thanked him and asked Valenya to get some glasses. He then left the lounge and went back to his cabin for Gil's payment.

Ty'karus paid Gil and they enjoyed a drink together. They spent an hour exchanged pleasantries, talking about old times and previous meetings. As the conversation came to its obvious conclusion they moved through the ship to the exit hatch. Gil was making his good-byes when Ty'karus pulled out a small package and handed it to Gil.

"What's this? Vids of you and the ladies? Perhaps?" He chuckled, Valenya worked at keeping her anger under control. Akita laughed and Gil gave her another wink.

"No Gil, I found Bam'ordin." Ty'karus said quietly. Gil's face went blank. "He's put down roots, started a legitimate business, no doubt to cover his other activities, although I found no evidence of them. You should have no problem finding him with this." Gil stood there looking at the package. "Eight years Cas, eight long years. I still have a picture of the camp, all those bodies." Gil took a step towards Ty'karus. "He has to pay, those people weren't part of the hunt. He has to pay Cas!" Gil stood quietly turning the package over in his hand. "Can I bring him to you?" Gil asked, his eyes were dead. Valenya touched his mind, all she got was rage and vengeance. So strong where his emotions that she had to block him out. Before she did, she saw what Gil wanted Ty'karus to do to this man.

Valenya's eyes shot wide. "Master you can't" She pleaded. Ty'karus shot her a look and she fell silent and stormed out of the room. Akita was holding Ty'karus, she put her head against his and whispered in his ear. "I love you, no matter what, I will always understand." She followed Valenya out of the room.

"Gil, you may have to hold onto him for a while." Ty'karus nodded his head toward his apprentices as they left the area. "I have this trouble to clear up. If I am alive when it's done, you can bring him to me." Ty'karus briefly put his hand on Gil's shoulder then watched as the man turned and walked down the ramp.

Ty'karus secured the ramp and door then headed back to speak with Valenya. She was sitting with Akita. From the volume he knew they were arguing.

"Akita you saw what was in his mind, you know what he wants Ty'karus to do! How can you condone it?" Valenya was not yelling but she was clearly angry. Ty'karus walked up to Valenya's spot on the lounge couch and dropped to his knees in front of her. Surprised by his action she stopped talking and looked to him.

Ty'karus reached out and gently took Valenya's hands in his. "I beg you to take hold of your anger and frustration. These first few days are critical, you are vulnerable and I don't want to lose you to the darkness." Valenya could feel the genuine emotion in his voice, it surprised her. She did as he asked, she reached out and let the force completely remove the anger she was feeling. When she opened her eyes Ty'karus could see she was calm.

"There is so much you do not yet understand, I will do my best to explain when I can, when you are ready. But this fact you must take to heart. If you contradict me like that in public, if such an outburst is seen by the wrong people it will cost us everything. Do you understand?" Valenya nodded. Ty'karus got to his feet and sat down next to her.

"Good now kiss me." He smiled at her. She smiled back then looked at Akita then back at Ty'karus. "Are you serious? Why would I kiss you?" she asked.

"Because you have been feeling and that's good but so far, and I take responsibility for this, so far you have felt more anger and frustration than anything else. You need to experience something positive and you need to understand that emotions are not all bad."

Valenya looked back at Akita, seeing no indication of a response she tried to pull away from Ty'karus. He smiled at her "Valenya, relax, It's just a kiss, I am not going to rip your clothes off and take you on the floor." She blushed but made no further move away from him. Her eyes were wide and he could see concern in her face.

Ty'karus took her face in his hands and brushed aside a stray lock of hair. He smiled at her and moved closer. He searched her eyes then reached into her mind with his, letting her know it was going to be okay. He moved closer, his lips touched her cheek gently, little kisses along her face moving toward her lips. When he finally touched her lips with his he paused for a moment. He waited just a moment then moved again, this time his lips brushed fully across hers. Valenya pursed her lips trying to find his. Her face warmed and she could hear a rush in her ears. She felt his mind whispering to hers. Then his lips were pressed against hers, there was a warm sensation as he sucked her bottom lip in between his, she giggled and found herself trying to pull on his lip. He pulled back a bit then kissed her again, this time he pushed gently against her lips with his tongue. She opened them slightly and their mouths joined fully. They remained locked for a few minutes as Valenya fully experienced the kiss.

Ty'karus pulled away slowly and looked into her eyes. Valenya's heart was racing. He sat back and remained silent. Akita was smiling at her. "Embrace your emotions, enjoy the sensations." Ty'karus encouraged her. Valenya sat quietly for a while before speaking. "That was nice, thank you master. I will try to focus more on positive emotions." She brushed at her hair then shifted her clothes. A moment later she rose and left the room as if she had just remembered an urgent errand.

"Did you enjoy that master?" Akita asked with a wicked grin on her face. Ty'karus smiled and Akita pinched him.

Valenya sat in her room in silence, she was trying to work through her feelings, and she was not doing a very good job. All her training had focused on identifying emotions and the pitfalls associated with them and then suppressing them. Acceptance of emotion was not high on the Jedi training list. The kiss had been nice, warm, she shivered as she remembered. She ran her fingers over her lips, she could still feel his lips against hers. '_My first kiss and it was with a Sith, Just my luck._' She thought. Valenya spent the next hour replaying the event in her mind and examining her feelings. In the end she was still a little angry that he had been so gentle, so kind and perhaps a bit upset that she was still smiling.

Valenya left her room and located Ty'karus and Akita, they were preparing to leave the ship. "Where are we going?" Valenya asked. "We are going nowhere, Akita and I are going to pay a visit to the person who sold Gil our location. We will be back as soon as possible." Ty'karus pulled on his robe.

"Why can't I come? I know how I look in this outfit but I hope you have not forgotten I was a Jedi Knight, I am quite capable." Her hands were on her hips. Ty'karus took a deep breath and did his best to avoid a sigh.

"Valenya, it is my understanding that as a Consular you are versed in diplomacy yes?" He paused. Valenya nodded, the look on her face said he had peeked her curiosity. "Ok I assume that part of that training required you to look at situations from different points of view yes" Again she nodded.

Ty'karus snapped his fingers and pointed to a spot next to him. Without hesitating Akita hurried to the spot and dropped to her knees. Valenya's face was contorted, Akita's actions had clearly shocked her. "Valenya what do your senses and Jedi skills tell you?" Valenya's face was flushed she took a moment to calm herself.

She refused to look at Akita. "I see a Sith who has broken my friend, reduced her to a sex slave." Akita looked hurt but said nothing. "Fine that's what you see, now reach out with the force and tell me what you feel." His voice was steady and he worked to ensure there was no emotion. Ty'karus knew that this was a valuable training opportunity and he was going to make the most of it.

Valenya closed her eyes for a moment, as she did her expression changed, the anger on her face changed to confusion. "Akita does not think of herself as a slave, she loves you. Somehow she is happy that you treat her so." Her voice was quiet and she wore a pained look on her face. "Ok and what do you get from me Val?" Ty'karus asked.

"You guard your emotions tightly, it's difficult but I feel pride and contentment or happiness. I am sorry for what I said Akita." Valenya lowered her head. "Now I need you to put yourself in the mind of a Sith and tell me what she would feel, what would she learn from this interaction?" Ty'karus gave Akita his hand, she took it and he pulled her to her feet. He kissed her on the cheek before letting go of her.

Valenya replayed the event, it was a mere moment in time but it had disturbed her. None the less she reviewed it over and over in her mind and let herself see it with her Jedi senses. Minutes later and Ty'karus noticed she now looked aggravated.

"I am a Sith walking through a spaceport and I spy a fellow Sith exercise total control over a former Jedi, I would be impressed. More so when I touch her emotions and feel her happiness her contentment at being summoned to sit at his feet. I touch him and feel his emotions, they would seem nothing more than his enjoyment of his power over his slave. As a Sith, I imagine, I would be envious." Valenya sighed and raised her eyes to meet his. "I get it, you have manipulated your feelings into a disguise, even being able to feel your thoughts would not give you away." Ty'karus smiled "Very good and now you know why you need to stay here yes?" if Ty'karus had believed in luck, he would have crossed his fingers.

"My emotions will give me away, I will make you look bad. Is that it?" she snipped at him with the last. Ty'karus frowned slightly. "No. You must stay here because I worry for you. You are angry at me, angry at Akita and angry at yourself. Out there you will have to behave like a slave, and that will anger you even more. You need more time to adjust. Akita and I were in a remote location, circumstances were different." He lowered his voice. "In truth if you can't adapt, it may be best if you returned to the Jedi. This path may not be for you." There was silence. Akita gave him a look of shock, Valenya blinked. "Master you can't be serious, you would send me away?" She was clearly shocked at the prospect.

"If I have given you any reason to believe that I want to send you away please forgive me. I want you to be here with us, more than you know. But I care too much for you to see you give in to your anger." He took a step toward her and she stepped back, bumping into the bulkhead.

"I want to stay, I can't go back. Please." Her voice was sincere, Ty'karus could feel her emotions settle. Her thoughts clear. "That's the first time you have said that even to yourself isn't it?" Valenya nodded. "Val our relationship is going to be different than mine and Akita's. It does not mean you are less important. I value your opinions and your input. We just need to work on understanding each other." He paused. '_Trust is a two way street, you need to show her you trust her as well._' He thought to himself. '_No time like the present._' "Do you still want to come?" he asked with a smile.

Valenya nodded. "Ok we will wait while you get your robe." Valenya headed down the hall to her cabin. Ty'karus shook his head and ran his fingers through his hair. "What's wrong? Your thoughts betray you master you are worried." Akita had her arms folded across her chest. "It's nothing major we just need to get passed the next few weeks and find a place to use as a base. Being this close all the time is fine for us but she needs more space." He rubbed his hands over his face and used the force to push away his stress. Akita chuckled.

"Apprentice what amuses you?" He asked. "You do know why she is so worked up? Oh please tell me you know?" Akita was laughing, Ty'karus gave her a stern look, and it had no effect. "Don't give me that look. We share a bed remember, I am you're willing slave." she reached out and caressed his face. "I understand what you're capable of, but that does not mean you scare me anymore. Master." She batted her eyes at him.

"Well why don't you enlighten me?" he dropped his scowl. "She is afraid of you, who can blame her. You inflict pleasure on her for days at a time, then you tell her you are going to grab her, hold her, without warning. Let's not even talk about that kiss." Her laughter grew, she put a hand over her mouth in an attempt to quiet herself.

"And?" he raised an eyebrow. Akita calmed herself. "She is afraid you are going to seduce her and that she won't try to stop you." Ty'karus coughed. Valenya was standing in the doorway. Akita grimaced. "Master can you give us a few minutes?" she pushed him towards the ramp exit. Ty'karus did not resist, he hit the ramp button and left them to talk.

Valenya was mortified. Akita rushed forward and hugged her, she was pleased that Valenya did not try to stop her. "Are you ok Val?" Akita asked. Valenya did not respond. "Val look it's going to be ok. You just have to remember what it was like the first month as a padawan. Do you remember how scared and confused we were? All the learning all the changes, pulled from our families. I can't remember how many nights it took for the Padawan learners in my dorm to stop crying. This is just the same. All the emotions all the feelings. It will get better I promise!" she hugged Valenya again.

"Did you have Master zik'ty as your meditation and exercise instructor?" she asked. Valenya nodded. "Yes he was quite literally a pain. His classes were more painful than some of the combat lessons." She smiled and looked Akita in the eyes.

"Exactly! He used to tell us 'To be a Jedi your entire body must be a Jedi, no muscle must be unattended!' and now, I can't imagine a day going by without all that stretching and meditation." Valenya brightened. "Your suggesting that since our emotions have been buried most of our lives, I am just suffering from exercise pain?" Akita beamed at her as she nodded her head.

"It's annoying, I know that if I use the force I can be calm, without fear or anger, I can be fully in control of my life and yet that infuriating man says I need to grow to embrace life and feelings. And suddenly I feel like I am a child" Valenya followed Akita to the ramp. Akita smiled at her "Oh come on don't tell me that on some level you're not enjoying this. Life is much more exiting now." Akita said as she headed down the ramp.

"It's also a lot more embarrassing. How did he manage this by himself anyhow?" Valenya asked absently. "I will tell you later" Akita whispered. Ty'karus hit the remote key on his wrist computer and the ramp retracted. He waited until Akita and Val were beside him.

"Please keep in mind that the person we are going to find sold our location to a bounty hunter, I can't say I am happy about it and I know he will not be happy to see us." He said as he pulled his hood up over his head.


	27. Chapter 27 Underworld

Chapter 27 Underworld

After they left the hangar they navigated through the maze of corridors and walk ways, passing a number of shops. Valenya had been to Nar Shaddaa as an apprentice, she noticed how different things felt this time. She was trying to recall if the sounds and smells were so crisp. Everything about this place seemed more alive more intense.

They exited the covered walk way and came out into the open. The colorful lights of the city blazed before them, towers that stretched high into the sky stood before them. Flying vehicles hummed along in neat formations coming from all directions. In many respects the city was like the immense planet city of Coruscant extending out across the horizon. Ty'karus hired a taxi and they joined the swarm of vehicles buzzing through the sky.

Moments later the taxi descended at a steep angle, it banked hard left and dove into the darkness. Valenya looked at Akita, she wore a smile ear to ear, Valenya recalled that as a pilot Akita loved this sort of thing. Valenya closed her eyes and let herself feel the ride, enjoy the thrill. The taxi pulled out of its descent, making her stomach lurch, Valenya laughed.

The taxi set down on one of the lower level platforms, Valenya noticed that the mood here had shifted, the people here came and went in the same numbers but they were quieter, they moved with a more careful manner. They left the landing platform and proceeded thru the covered access tunnel.

Ty'karus walked with confidence, his body was upright as if it hung from a cord in the middle of his head. The working residents of the area engaged travelers as they passed by, each trying to sell their wares or in some cases themselves. Some approached Ty'karus but all withdrew without saying a word. Valenya tried to recall how people reacted to her when she passed them as a Jedi. She could see it in her mind but she could not recall how it made her feel. Realization set in, she had ignored the people and she had felt nothing.

Valenya made a conscious decision to see and hear the people, to take it all in. She noticed that people looked at her and Akita but they averted their eyes from Ty'karus. As she walked the air flowing through the tunnels caught her robe and it billowed, making her slaves outfit apparent to any nearby. It was clear from the reactions that slaves were not an unusual sight, reactions changed when they saw her lightsaber.

They walked for some time until they came to a large open market. It looked different out of place. There were shops all around and yet here in the open there were dozens of stalls, they looked like they would be more at home in the desert markets of Tatooine than here. Her senses took in the sounds and smells as they made their way through the crowds.

She reached out with the force. As a consular she was trained to understand others. She was painfully aware of how she had failed in that aspect over the last few days. She pushed that aside and concentrated. She could feel the people, their eyes on her. Many of the thoughts were primal, lust, desire. She let them flow over her but did not ignore them. Others looked at her with pity thinking her a slave. Others still noticed her saber and assumed she was Sith, she bathed in their fear and then let the force wash it from her. She had never been feared before, not like this.

Valenya followed Akita and her master onto an elevator platform, it dropped a number of levels and let them out into another series of shops, markets and walkways. These were no less crowded but were definitely more dangerous. She noted escorts of all types dancing in open air stalls. Some were servicing clients unabashedly while others watched.

Ty'karus touched her mind, her eyes snapped forward and focused on a crowd near a neon lit establishment, they were going inside and he wanted her to be alert. She pushed fear out of her mind, entered a quick force meditation and pulled a battle augmentation first into herself then she let it flow outward into Akita and her master.

It was at that point that she realized that Ty'karus had been sharing an augmentation as well. The realization that he had been flowing energy into her body since they left the hangar gave her pause. She reached out gently and tried to feel him, it took a moment but she found him. She blushed as she felt his touch on her, around her, flowing through her. As a Jedi, other Consulars had supported her like this but none had done so with emotion, she reached deeper and felt him. He was balanced, he gave off a sense of intense purpose and peace.

As a Consular balance and diplomacy were essential parts of her training. How odd it felt to realize that the Jedi version of balance was purging emotion to lose one self and yet here was a Sith who had found balance by accepting emotion and finding truth in the shadow between light and dark.

Ty'karus signaled them to stay close and be ready. He purposely passed the line up at the entrance and ignored the bouncers order to stop. The bouncers yelled and one reached out for Ty'karus who force pushed him out through the closest window. There was a crash and a scream. Four more armed bouncers in various types of armor rushed forward knocking patrons out of the way. The first got within a meter of him and suddenly found himself floating in the air. Valenya reached out grabbing debris from the area, utensils, and plates, cups anything nearby. The material then shot forth in a steady stream pelting the bouncers. The patrons were quick and smart enough to clear the area. Akita let the last bouncer get close enough to touch her before her hand shot out and he was catapulted upward and landed with a crash against a table bolted to the floor.

Ty'karus turned slowly it was clear to the patrons and staff that he was inviting anyone else to take action. When nothing happened he pulled out a data pad with the image of a man on it. He walked past patrons and thrust it in their faces, in turn they all shook their heads and looked away. Valenya was not sure what they saw under his hood but the fear ran off them in waves.

He made his way to one of the round refreshment bars in the center of the establishment. One of the servers tried to back away but Ty'karus caught him with a force grip, the creature struggled as he closed its airways. Fear rolled through the room. The server squeaked something and Ty'karus let him go.

Ty'karus turned and headed for a different exit the crowd opened silently before them. Somewhere in the crowd someone reached for a hidden weapon, Valenya could feel it, desperation and fear overwhelmed by hate. Someone in the room was about to let hate overcome fear. Valenya looked quickly through the crowd and her force sense settled on a large humanoid with green skin and three horns. Ty'karus stopped and slowly turned toward the humanoid. Akita did not move from his side she stayed in position as he wheeled left. Valenya followed suit on his other side.

Ty'karus chuckled as he approached the green skinned humanoid. Patrons around the man slid away into the dark. "Brave I like brave, hate stronger than fear, also good. Pull your weapon let's see it." His voice was augmented, the room could hear him even though his voice was low. The humanoid let his hand slip out of his jacket, in his hand he held a small blaster pistol a hold out. Low power short range, designed to be used against unarmored opponents up close.

Ty'karus began the Sith code taking a few steps towards the man between each line he recited. "Peace is a lie, there is only passion. Through passion, I gain strength. Through strength, I gain power. Through power, I gain victory. Through victory, my chains are broken. The Force shall free me." He stood in front of the humanoid and held out his hand. "What is your name?" he asked. "Yakash" he replied. "Yakash your hate is good but you need to feed it if your passion is to set you free." He motioned for Yakash to hand over the weapon. Yakash hesitated then dropped the weapon into Ty'karus hand. A blast of energy hit Yakash, his body jerked, held in place by the force he convulsed as tendrils of force danced over him.

There were muffled screams in the crowd but none made a move to leave. Ty'karus held him there. Valenya reached out and felt the creature's life slipping away. He would not last much longer. She desperately wanted to move, wanted to touch Ty'karus make him stop but she held her ground. Yakash fell to the ground, released from Ty'karus grip. Valenya reached out again and felt his vitality return, he was unconscious but he would live, she could sense the force wash over him, someone was healing him. She was stunned when she realized the healing energy was coming from her master.

Ty'karus turned and walked out of second set of doors. Akita and Valenya followed him. Once outside he quickened his pace and turned sharply down a side alley. Valenya followed. He pointed upward and leapt. The force assisted jump put him on the roof three stories above. He quickly moved to the edge of the building and began scanning the crowd.

"Reach out, someone down there will have recognized our target and will be looking to warn him or sell him a warning. We need to find that person. Akita sprinted to the right side of the roof and sat in meditation near the edge. Valenya reluctantly took the left side. '_How can she trust him so completely what hold does he have over her_' she wondered to herself. He had not killed Yakash and he had apparently worked to assure his survival but he had tortured him. As he had tortured her. The memory of her torture made her flush. She recalled the pain and the pleasure. It was wrong but part of her longed to feel it again. She buried her fear and shame and set about concentrating on the people below.

It was not long before Akita touched their minds, she had found someone, they gathered and Akita pointed out a small Rodian making his way through the crowd, his mind was open and his thoughts easy to read. He had something worth selling, he had managed to get pictures of the Sith who was looking for Qlish, he was counting on a big payday.

They traveled across roof tops keeping sight of the Rodian. They were forced to drop to the ground only a few times and almost lost him once as he passed through a larger market area. With three of them searching for him it was not long before they found him again. He doubled back a few times and paused for a long stretch before finally entering an unlit nondescript door.

They dropped to the ground a safe distance from the location. Valenya and Akita looked at their master, he remained silent then headed toward the door. Valenya wanted to suggest a diplomatic approach, wait for the Rodian to exit and see if they could question him. She was looking at the building for other options when Ty'karus cut the door clear of its hinges with his lightsaber. He pulled and the door shot past them and clanked to a halt in the street behind them.

He stepped through the doorway, they followed. There was shouting and shooting, lightsaber's flashed, men and creatures screamed. Valenya and Akita had their lightsaber's out more for show, they pushed attackers into walls or slammed objects into them. Valenya was surprised to see Akita wield a red saber but there was no time to ask about it now.

Ty'karus did not make a sound as he plowed through the attackers. In the end he had killed two, and injured more, the survivors would struggle to move for the next few days but would recover. When they found the Rodian he was behind an armored glass panel along with a richly clothed man and two slaves. Ty'karus located a comm panel and keyed it.

"If you make me come to you, I will torture you and then kill you. If you come out on your own I will torture you but I will not kill you." He stepped back and waited. The armored panel was sound proofed, they could not hear the conversation on the other side but their force enhanced senses let them read lips under the right conditions. A simple task given the range and lighting in the room. Qlish was telling the rodian Mahklaj what was going to happen to him for leading the Sith and his witches to him. '_Sith witch or Jedi witch, Jedi witch sounds better_' Valenya thought to herself.

There was a hiss and a clank and the armored panel slid open from the middle, half sliding left and the other right. Qlish was a large humanoid over six feet in height and pushing three hundred pounds, most of that muscle.

Ty'karus stepped into the room and sat down in the closest chair. Qlisht slowly sat down behind his desk. "You sold information about me, to a bounty hunter" Ty'karus held out his hand, tendrils of energy flitted from finger to finger arcing and sputtering as they went.

"Yes, Gil was his name." He responded coldly. Valenya was impressed by how controlled his man was, he was afraid but not overly so. "You are employed by the Hutts?" Ty'karus asked. The man nodded. "Have you sold the information to anyone else?" the man grabbed at his chest, pain wracked his face. "No, I swear" he screamed. A moment later he gasped for air as the grip Ty'karus had on his heart faded

Ty'karus stood and looked around the room up along the ceiling, he found the monitoring equipment and stood facing it. "Information on my activities and location were sold by your man here to a bounty hunter. The only way this man could have obtained this information was through Hutt sources, I have great respect for the Hutts and their business acumen. I have always appreciated, as have my Sith brothers and Sisters, the confidentiality provided by the Hutts in all business transactions. So I am going to assume that this man stole the information and sold it for a profit, unauthorized profit."

Ty'karus looked at the two females slaves. He waved them out and they ran without question. Ty'karus turned back to face the hidden monitoring device. "I leave this man's fate in your capable hands." Ty'karus waited. A moment later the terminal on Qlish desk beeped. Ty'karus waved his hand and the terminal turned to face him. On the screen was a Hutt and beside him a droid. The large Hutt spoke, the droid waited for its master to stop. "My master bids me welcome you and he assures you that your understanding of the situation is correct, Qlish stole the information. My master was aware and had already arranged for Qlish to be punished, we will provide compensation for any inconvenience you may have suffered." The droid fell silent.

Ty'karus bowed signaling agreement and the screen went black. Ty'karus gave Qlish one last look then turned to leave. They were not far from the room when they heard a single blaster bolt followed by a loud thud as Qlish's body hit the ground, dead by his own hand. '_Master of his own fate. Better to die on his terms than at the hands of the hutts._' Ty'karus thought to himself

As they left the area Akita pulled closer to Ty'karus. "Master may I ask a question?" she smiled at him. He nodded, they continued to move through the crowd that had gathered. "Your behavior in the club. You barely spoke to those people and then you just turned and walked out, is that a Sith thing or?" He laughed at the question.

"As an inquisitor I have learned that to understand a thing is to have power over it. Communication is key to understanding. At the same time, people fear what they do not understand. Therefore the less I say the less I am understood the more I am feared. Fear is power." Akita pondered his response as they traveled.

"Valenya nothing from you?" he asked. Valenya had been considering asking about the cost in lives today but she held her tongue.

It took two hours to get back to the ship. They took caution to ensure they were not monitored or followed. Once the ramp was secure and the door locked Ty'karus turned to Valenya.

"Valenya I want you to know that I meant what I said. Your opinion is important to me. If you think we could have handled that differently, then map it out for me and we can discuss it. I am not above changing tactics if you can suggest a better way." He waited for her to respond.

"We talked about innocents caught in the crossfire. The three who died today were not innocent and I am sure if you were not the man you are now, none of the men in that building would be alive. Master." Her voice had no fight in it.

Akita smiled at him as she pulled him close. He wrapped his arms around her and held her in silence until he felt the muscles in his back relax. She let him go. "I am going to take a shower and go to bed, see you soon." She winked at him and walked down the hallway, her hips swinging.

Ty'karus entered the bridge, checked the ships computer and entered a course in the navicomp. Pre-flight completed he received clearance for takeoff and watched as Nar Shaddaa faded into the stars. Twenty minutes later the ship entered hyperspace. The journey would take a few days. Giving him time to relax and think. If all went according to plan, today's actions would draw the right attention. His interceptor would be located and its data extracted. He was reasonably certain that the Republic agents were in fact Imperial agents working at the direction of his master. He would have to review the information provided by Gil later, it felt too convenient. '_What are the odds that a trusted associate would turn up with valuable information, even Gil was suspicious of the information_' Ty'karus hummed as he reviewed the bits and pieces in his head.


	28. Chapter 28 Convince Me

Chapter 28 Convince me

Ty'karus made a final check of the nav computer, satisfied with the readings he left the bridge and headed to his cabin. Valenya and Akita were standing in the hallway talking, he smiled and passed them without interrupting. He entered his cabin stripped off his clothes and stepped into the sonic shower. He let his mind drift, reaching out with the force he applied a healing touch to the muscles in his shoulders. Once his muscles relaxed he let himself enter a mild meditative state. He reviewed the next steps and gave some thought to how enjoyable it would be to survive the next few weeks.

His shower completed he dried off and wrapped the towel over his shoulders and stepped out of the fresher into his room. There was a sharp intake of air from Valenya. Ty'karus turned to see Akita and Valenya now talking in the open doorway to his room. '_Don't care, I'm tired._' He thought. Without a word he laid down on the bed. "If you don't want to look, feel free to close the door. Good night my dear apprentice's" he turned on his side and closed his eyes.

Akita pulled Valenya back out into the hall and closed the cabin door. "Sorry about that, I swear he does that on purpose." She smiled at Valenya.

"Akita how do you put up with him?" Valenya asked her.

"I love him. I know what you're going to say, how do I know I love him? Well you're right I have nothing to compare it to but I know how I would feel if I lost him." Valenya took Akita's hands and tried to look supportive.

"I have to ask; you know I do. Are you sure are you really sure that he has not done something to you to make you feel this way? Please don't hate me for asking." Valenya bit her bottom lip as she waited for Akita to respond.

Akita squeezed Val's hands. "I don't hate you Val, I am happy that you care enough to ask, even though you are obviously concerned about how I might react." Valenya exhaled in relief.

Akita pulled Valenya into the lounge and sat her down on the curved couch. "The first time we joined." Akita smiled and Valenya blushed. "The first time, something happened." Akita said quietly.

"I'll bet something happened." Valenya said sarcastically.

"Besides that, hush. It was mutual whatever you may believe it was not forced." Akita retorted.

"We shared something. I saw bits of his life, felt his pain. I think this can happen between any force users, I suspect it's one of the reasons the Jedi council forbids it." Valenya stared at Akita. "Val you have no idea what it's like being trained as a Sith. While most Jedi are still Padawan learners, he was killing. They are like animals, forced to fight or die. Without feeling it, you can't appreciate what it means for him to have turned away." Her eyes welled up with tears. Valenya hugged her.

"Akita that's the hard question, how could a Sith truly turn away on his own. You said you had an idea. Can you share it with me? I need to understand. Don't get me wrong, I believe this path is the right one. I just need to understand him better, I need to get rid of this doubt." Valenya sighed. Akita looked uncomfortable.

"I know this is going to sound conceited so forgive me. Valenya he did it for me?" Valenya's face told Akita that she did not believe it was true.

"Akita he had just met you, I'm sorry but..." Akita cut her off.

"Valenya when we talked about what it was like for me to choose to stay with him, to walk this path. I did not tell you everything." Valenya furled her brow.

"Are you saying you lied Akita?" there was a hurt look on Valenya's face.

"No! I promise no. reach out search my feelings my thoughts. I swear I didn't lie. I just didn't tell you everything some of it was just too personal, some of it shames me." Valenya could feel the truth in Akita's mind and voice. Seeing Valenya relax Akita continued.

Akita told Valenya everything, she left nothing out. The whole truth about the force visions, the pain it caused him. She told Valenya all she saw in his life when they made love the first time. All she had seen since. Akita painted a graphic picture of Ty'karus master Lord Mott, admitted to killing two of his acolytes. The incident in the hall of logistics and Ty'karus torture of the Sith Adith.

Then with tears rolling down her face she told Valenya about Edza and her mother, Jitta. She told Valenya how she felt seeing the little girl's body lying in her mother's arms. Of sorrow so intense it felt like her heart would actually break. Valenya hugged her and cried with her. Akita pulled away enough to see Valenya's face, she told her how it felt when she held up her lightsaber and let out her sorrow in one primal scream. How it lifted her heart when the clone Edza awoke in her mother's arms.

Akita could feel her master touch her mind, he had felt the emotion build in her and Valenya. She reached out and let him know all was ok. She felt his presence leave her mind.

"Akita I don't know what to say. But I do understand why you didn't tell me, I am sorry I pushed you, forgive me?" Valenya gave Akita a pained smile.

"There is nothing to forgive, I just wish I had something more than words to share with you." They sat together a while longer, just talking about their time as Jedi and the future. Valenya noted that Akita tended to think about the now and what would come next but only in a limited sense. As a Consular Valenya had to think long term, it was part of her diplomatic training, whereas Akita was a warrior and tended to think more immediate or tactically.

It occurred to Valenya that if they were to continue recruitment they would need to address conversion and doubt with more than Ty'karus current methods. Her face flushed and a tingle ran through her as she gave thought to his 'methods'.

Valenya discussed her concerns at length with Akita, they both agreed that something had to be devised that would improve on the current methods. Valenya was reluctant to bring this to their master but Akita convinced her that it was important. They agreed to bring it up in the morning as right now both of them were tired and needed sleep.

Valenya paced back and forth in the lounge. The ships protocol droid had made her breakfast and stood quietly by the main entrance to the lounge. Valenya looked at the time and took a deep breath. _'They should be up by now how much sleep can they need?_' she thought to herself. It was almost an hour later that Akita and her master made their way into the lounge. Valenya sensed contentment rolling off of them both, realization set in and she felt a warm flush through her body. It was becoming quite an annoyance. She was tempted to suppress her feelings but she knew that a sudden change might not go unnoticed.

"Good morning." Valenya practically pounced on them. Akita gave her a smile.

"Master why don't you sit and talk with Valenya I will get our food." Akita suggested. She pushed him toward the table. He gave her an odd sideways look but did not resist. He sat and Valenya took a seat next to him.

"Master, Akita and I were talking last night and I, that is we, have a concern we would like to discuss." She paused only for a second and when he did not offer objection she continued.

"I am assuming that you desire to enlist additional support for our cause. If that is correct then we would like to suggest that alternate methods for recruitment be considered." She was talking at breakneck pace getting the entire string out in one breath. Ty'karus held up a hand and she reluctantly stopped.

"I agree but you must keep in mind that all the standard inquisitor methods involve liberal use of torture. Akita was a unique situation, as she told you, I had been preparing for our meeting for years." He paused and motioned Valenya to move closer, she did so hesitantly. Ty'karus motioned for her to take his hand, which she did.

"Val. I was not prepared for you. I feel that I should have taken longer, been more careful. Each time I hurt you it caused me great pain. I know there is no way to make it right but I do want to apologize." With his hand holding hers she could feel his emotions, she could sense his thoughts. She was surprised by the genuine sense of regret flowing from him.

"Thank you master. I don't think I have forgiven you quite yet but if it helps I am glad it happened." She offered. He nodded his understanding.

"So since you brought this up do you have a suggestion, an alternative to offer?" has asked while looking from one to the other. Akita looked at Valenya.

"Perhaps we could use the Jedi approach? I have read a few case studies where the Jedi worked together to break down the barriers of a Sith or a Jedi that had gone over to the dark side. They used their abilities in concert. It was less like torture and more like reconditioning, using the force." Valenya watched his face as he considered her idea.

"I am not opposed to trying this method but it would require that you both be involved and it would open you to considerable stress and keep in mind that the power transfer we are talking about is far beyond battle augmentation. It's the difference between a straw and a starship fueling hose, mistakes can be damaging or fatal." He paused letting that sink in, Ty'karus wanted to make sure that both of his apprentices were aware of all of the risks. Secrets had no place in this discussion. When he was sure they both understood he continued.

"Additionally I am concerned that someone turned in this manner could so to speak, snap out of it, reverting without warning. My methods with you Val were focused on providing you the facts and letting you see for yourself what this conflict was costing the galaxy, so that you would come to the truth on your own. While you could choose to go back to the Republic, you are less likely to do so as I truly believe you have changed." His words surprised Valenya. She searched his mind and saw that there was no reservation in him. He trusted her and it shamed her because she knew that she was still unsure of him or rather his motives.

"Master do you know how this joined process works?" Akita asked.

Ty'karus nodded. "I have a detailed account as well as a few books on the subject from the Jedi archives.

Valenya let out a small gasp. "How did you manage to get books out of the archive?" she did not hide the shock on her face.

Ty'karus cringed. "I bought them from one of my Sith brothers who obtained them from a Jedi." He said quietly. "The books are in my cabin, but I don't think you are ready yet Valenya." His words were plain there was no recrimination in them but Valenya was visibly hurt by his response.

"May I ask why you believe I am unfit for the ceremony?" her words carried her pain at his rebuff. He gave her a thin smile.

"It's my fault, actually, you see the ceremony requires that the Jedi performing it, in this case us three, trust each other completely. I have, thus far, failed to earn your trust. For that I am sorry." He leaned against the back of his chair and sighed.

"Akita could you bring the books here? They are in the hard case under the bed. Please." Akita smiled and excused herself from the table and headed down the ships hallway. Valenya and Ty'karus sat in silence. Valenya tried to analyze her master's recent comments. She wanted to trust him but the nagging questions in the back of her mind would not let go. This man is a Sith Inquisitor, his life is manipulation and intrigue. There was part of her that still believed it was possible that she and Akita had been manipulated and that even though they believed in the cause, they were being led by someone who was doing so for his own ends.

Akita returned with two books and a data pad. Valenya looked up at Akita and was surprised to see an odd smile on her face. Their eyes met and Akita raised an eyebrow then looked downward, Valenya followed her gaze and was shocked to realize that she had not pulled her hand back. All this time she had been sitting beside him holding his hand. A wave of shock ran through her. Ty'karus smiled and gently let go of her hand, Valenya was further surprised that she had genuinely enjoyed the contact. Akita winked at her and Valenya felt anger and other emotions rise.

"There is a Sith version similar to the Jedi. It differs in that it requires the use of Sith Alchemy. The Sith don't have the ability to trust like the Jedi so the ritual requires the use of acolytes and apprentices to provide power and a single master or possibly a few. There is a single large crystal and one or more control crystals. We can talk about that later though."

Ty'karus stood and moved away from the table. "I will leave you to review the Jedi material. I still need to do my morning exercises and meditate. Good morning my apprentices." He gave them a small bow and left them.

Akita and Valenya spent the remainder of the trip locked in study of the ceremony. Valenya was forced to come to the same conclusion that her master had. The ceremony required trust, each of the participants provided power and one drove it. If at any point one of the participants doubted the one in control it could cause the ceremony to fail or worse, it could injure the subject they were trying to convert.

She would have to address this later as the ships destination alarm sounded. They had arrived in the Tatooine system.


	29. Chapter 29 Sand and More Sand

Chapter 29 Sand and more sand

Before setting down Ty'karus reminded both of his apprentices that Tatooine was disputed territory with a Republic presence.

"We need to be mindful at all times, this place is a hot spot for criminal activity as well as being a bounty hunter haven. We will pick up supplies in the market and then head out. My goal is in and out as quick as possible." The ship locked on to the spaceport beacon and began an automated decent.

"Master can you tell us why we are here?" Akita asked. He nodded.

"I am looking for a Sith with whom I am on sociable terms. He has something I need and I have something he needs. Hopefully this will be a quick and painless transaction and we can be on our way."

The shipped touched down moments later. They passed through customs and Ty'karus checked the imperial news feeds before leaving the spaceport. As they left the spaceport terminal they encountered a number of small market stalls. They sold a number of items including sun goggles, bottled water and surprisingly, tourist items. Ty'karus purchased three sets of sun goggles and handed a set to Akita and Valenya.

To say that Tatooine is hot is to say that the space is cold. It's an understatement. Ty'karus took a deep breath and realized why he hated Tatooine. It was so dry that people actually made a living off of farming water out of the atmosphere. It took complex machinery that ran almost twenty-four by seven.

Sun goggles in place they made their way down the main thoroughfare. Ty'karus checked his chrono then hit his wrist comm unit. There was a momentary crackle followed by a series of beeps. He pulled a small device from one of his belt pouches, he held it up against his comm unit and activated the device. Valenya and Akita looked on curiously. There was a momentary pause and another set of beeps came through his comm unit. Satisfied with the results he deactivated the device and his comm unit.

Tatooine's notoriety came from three key factors. It was a haven for criminal activity, it was hot and at the ass end of space. As they made their way Akita and Valenya both noticed the imperial presence, there were numerous armor clad troopers moving in squads. Next to many of the buildings there were imperial droids and armored transports.

They both noticed what was missing, the standard imperial swagger. Troopers almost always walked with a self-assured swagger, they were considered high up in the order of things, well as far as the empire was concerned. Valenya did a quick scan of the nearby troopers and was surprised to find them all on alert. Their stress levels were much higher than she had expected. It was as if each of them was waiting for the hammer to drop. They were equally surprised to note that the troopers seemed to relax upon seeing a Sith pass by with two apprentices in tow.

"Do you feel that Valenya?" Akita whispered.

Valenya nodded. "It's like they are actually happy to see us. What would make anyone happy to see a Sith?" Ty'karus paused at the comment. Valenya grimaced and offered a silent apology. Akita laughed quietly. They turned right, traveled down and to the right and headed to what looked like a cantina or eating establishment.

"Of course it's a bar, why would we be meeting a Sith in a civilized location." Valenya sighed.

"For your information apprentice we are not meeting anyone here. We are simply making ourselves available to be seen. My contact will have someone inside who will validate my appearance and then provide us with the meeting location. Basic operational security." He said. Ty'karus did a quick scan of the surrounding buildings roof-line then entered the cantina.

It was not overly loud but there was certainly a din coming from the patrons. Some moved as they saw Ty'karus enter others sneered and stood their ground. Ty'karus managed to glide by them without incident. The place was large there were two bar areas and eight raised platforms, half had a single dancer and the others had two dancers. All were in various stages of undress and dancing to music that pulsed through the air.

Ty'karus moved to the closest bar and took a seat. Akita and Valenya took the seats on either side. The bar tender was a large Duros. Ty'karus placed an order and three drinks were placed on the bar in front of him. He passed one to each of his apprentices.

"Be mindful." He gave them a casual smile but they could both tell he was on edge. Ty'karus sipped on his drink and turned in his seat to watch the crowd.

Most of the people were broken into groups some sitting in the darkened booths and others gathered around the dancers on raised platforms. Some could be seen coming and going in pairs through the doors along the back wall. Prostitutes stood against the walls waiting for customers. There was the occasional raised voice but nothing seemed to be getting out of hand. This was probably due to the quality and ready access to intoxicants rather than the bouncers. The bouncers seemed to limit themselves to the exits and doors to the back rooms.

Ty'karus checked his wrist chrono and finished his drink. He signaled to Akita and Valenya and stepped away from the bar. They made their way toward one of the rear exits without incident. As they approached the bouncer located at the exit nodded and opened the door for them. Ty'karus froze, there beyond the door were four people, the first was a large humanoid the look of surprise on his face was clear. Beside him was a muscular green female with long black hair and dark eyes, behind her stood a tall armored droid with six appendages. Valenya did not have time see anything else as Ty'karus had pulled his saber.

The droid in the back reacted with machine efficiency and tossed something into the room between Akita and Valenya. Ty'karus recognized the magnetic claymore, the explosive device was designed to seal to the floor and detonate. The controlled blast would only affect those in front of the device.

Ty'karus force enhanced reflexes allowed him a fraction of a second to react; he chose to protect his apprentices as well as the innocent bystanders by encasing himself in a static field, with the explosive. The fields snapped up just as the shaped charge device detonated. Ty'karus force shield absorbed much of the blast before it fell. As he had been inside the shield with the device he took the brunt of its force. Even depleted the shock wave picked Ty'karus up and punched him into the crowd.

The large humanoid in front wasted no time getting over his surprise, he pulled a wicked looking double barrel blaster and began firing at Ty'karus. He missed cleanly as Ty'karus tumbled through the air thanks to the force of the explosive blast. The green skinned woman pushed past him into the room a pair of blasters flashed as she opened fire at the establishments security. Pandemonium erupted. People pushed and screamed as they ran for cover, others pulled weapons and joined the fray.

To their shock and surprise neither Akita nor Valenya had been targeted in the initial volley. Akita pushed at a group of people nearby sending them sprawling along the floor, it gave her room to move while minimizing damage to the bystanders. Valenya rolled to the right and came up with her saber blazing blue. The droid moved into the room and immediately deployed a set of thin spider like arms that grabbed onto the wall and allowed him to pull himself off the floor. He took up a position on the wall above the door. From this vantage point he began spraying blaster fire at Valenya and a number of other patrons who had likewise pulled weapons and were returning fire.

Moments later the room was full of blaster fire and people dying. Akita bounced around the room turning twisting and flipping. Her saber flashed feverishly trying to block blaster fire while she pushed bystanders out of harm's way with the force. Valenya concentrated on the droid as the others in his group appeared occupied by security and the other combatants.

She reached out and grabbed at debris in the area including chairs and anything solid. She then redirected the mass in a single stream at the droid moving along the wall like a big black spider. The droid was unable to continue firing as all its attention turned to self-preservation. It placed its free appendages over the sensor array on its head. Valenya reached out and picked up the largest object she could lift. She pulled with all her strength and the table broke loose from its moorings. It sailed through the air and landed flush against the droid, it slid from the wall impacting on the floor in a heap.

Having cleared the area of bystanders Akita turned her attention to the green skinned woman, she and her group had taken cover behind fallen tables made of metal and stone. There was now a steady stream of fire between two ends of the club as security and armed patrons at one end fired at the group behind the tables near the rear exit. Akita approached the barricaded group deflecting blaster shots as she went. Valenya aided her from cover, tossing tables and chairs towards the group with the force.

Akita was only a few meters away from them when another explosive device dropped at her feet. She instinctively leapt away from the device, her flight dropped her next to Ty'karus. Akita looked down to check on his condition and was shocked to see bone protruding from his chest. The blast had caught him full and at close range it tore into him with little resistance, his face was burnt and she could see bone and teeth through his torn face. It was clear that one of his arms was broken or worse. Dark blood poured from his mouth and nose. She listened to his breathing it was shallow and quick coming in short bursts. He was dying.

Akita snapped. Valenya saw it but was not close enough to do anything. He had saved them rather than himself. He had told Valenya how much she and Akita meant to him. For the first time she realized just how much he was willing to sacrifice to keep them safe, now he was going to die. Valenya was yelling at Akita but it was clear she was not listening. The rage built faster than Akita had imagined possible, she did nothing to stop it. She turned and screamed. The tables that they had been using for cover a moment ago slammed them into the wall. Metal bars from the raised dance platforms pulled away like paper and flew through the air, transformed into deadly projectiles. The first one skewered the green skinned woman and she died pinned to the wall.

Akita shot her hand outward and lightning ran down the length of her red saber and flashed through the air, the blue skinned man who had come in last, exploded as the heat from the lightning engulfed his body. Akita let go of the lightning for a moment, took a deep breath and strode forward. By this time the armed patrons and security had retreated and were exiting through the front doors. Valenya lept forward and grabbed at Akita's wrist. Akita turned on her, as she did Valenya reflexively raised her saber, it deflected a glancing blow from Akita's blue saber.

"I'm going to make them pay!" She screamed at Valenya.

"He wouldn't want this you know that." Valenya screamed back. The large man moved under one of the tables he was reaching in vain for his blaster. Akita picked him up with the force and pulled him to her. He was clutching at his throat with one hand, the other arm hung limp at his side. She screamed at him and lighting ran through him causing him to spasm and thrash in her grip. Valenya slapped her hard, it had no visible affect. Not willing to take her attempt to the next level she leapt back to her fallen master to see if he was truly dead. '_Please don't be dead, you can't leave us alone like this, we need you, I need you._' She prayed silently.

His condition was critical but she could feel that there was still life in him. If her skills were greater perhaps she could heal him fully but as he was she could only hope to keep him from dying. She clipped her saber back on her belt and put both hands on his chest. She pulled on the force and reached into him looking for his wounds.

There were so many, broken bones, lacerated organs, he was a mess. Desperately she pulled harder and harder at the force pushing it into him. Fear crept into her mind and she fought it back. True to her new path she let her need drive her, a sense of growing loss filled her as she thought of going on without him. She let that mix into her strength and pulled harder on the force. A moment before she feared her body would explode with the force, she felt it, his heart beat stabilized and he took a deep ragged breath.

"Akita He's alive, I need your help!" she screamed. Akita heard her, she slammed the man into the wall and he hit the ground alive but unconscious. Akita was at Valenya's side in an instant. Valenya looked at her while she continued to work. There were tiny purple veins running in all directions from Akita's eyes. She was still burning with the dark side.

Akita's breathing was almost as ragged as their master's, her lungs burned with power and she was shaking from the force that coursed through her. Ty'karus eyes flickered open, he smiled at Valenya, deep red blood trickled from his mouth. He turned to look at Akita, he attempted to reach out and touch her face but he did not have the strength. Akita took his hand and held it to her face.

"Shssh my love let go your hate, please." He passed back into unconsciousness'. Akita shot a look at Valenya.

"He's going to live, I promise, I just need him to sleep." Desperate to give Akita time to calm down she told her to stay with their master.

"I am going to see if I can get anything out of the one you left alive." Akita made a move to stand and Valenya put a hand on her shoulder. "I'm serious, stay with him!" she barked at Akita. Satisfied that Akita was going to do as she asked, Valenya walked over to the broken man lying on the floor.

Valenya knelt next to the man and checked on his wounds. She felt confident that he would live but without additional treatment, it would be weeks before he was in any shape to do much of anything. She looked at the blaster lying beside him and sent it skittering across the floor all the same.

She rolled him over and searched him. She took three credit sticks his identity card and an access keycard. She also found another chip tucked into a hidden pocket next to his heart. _'Makes sense, if someone puts a blaster or knife through the chip into your heart, you won't need to worry about it anymore._' She thought. She needed to heal him enough for Akita to question him then trade places with her so that she could continue working on their master. Valenya had asked Akita to watch Ty'karus to prevent her from killing the only person who could provide answers.

Valenya centered herself as best she could, her anger faded as did her fear, something else lingered. It was a new feeling one she was not familiar with it kept her looking back at Ty'karus. '_You doubted him and yet look he what risked for you.'_ The feeling was shame.

She tried one more time to clear her mind and then let the force flow through her into this man lying at her feet. Valenya knitted his wounds but prevented him from regaining consciousness. She picked him up and carried him closer to Akita and Ty'karus.

With the exception of some moaning and crying the club was quiet. Valenya knew it would not last.

"Akita I'll wager we will have imperials in here any moment, you need to deal with them. I will watch him now." She pointed to the unconscious man Akita had attacked. "He won't be waking up any time soon so don't worry about him." As if on cue the doors opened and a squad of troopers entered in combat formation.

Akita took a deep breath wrapped herself in her robe and pulled up the hood, she activated her red saber and stepped out from behind cover. The trooper in charge straightened and approached her. He stopped before her and gave a curt bow. "Sargent Yanar, my lord." He saluted; Akita pulled back the hood of her robe. The trooper took in her appearance, seeing the dark side markings on her face he stiffened slightly.

"I am Akita'Ty slave and apprentice to the Inquisitor Ty'karus, she put on her best Sith smile as she identified herself as a slave, her yellow eyes threatened to burn a hole through the sergeant. "My master requires a medical droid, you will summon one and then ensure we are undisturbed. We have his attacker in custody and I need time to question him." She imitated her master's chuckle.

"I will have a med droid sent right away my lord. My men and I will secure the perimeter, nobody will enter without your permission." He saluted again turned and beat a hasty retreat. Akita stepped out into the light so that the rest of the squad could see her, she threw back her cloak and let them see her slaves clothing as well as her curves. She put her hand on her hip.

"Sergeant Yanar. If anyone learns my master's name from you or your men, I will find you and make you wish for death. She let a smile crawl across her face slowly. The sergeant and his men exited the building and slammed the doors shut behind them.

Akita let out a breath and turned quickly back to Valenya and her master. Valenya was looking at her with a look of shock on her face. Akita fell down beside the man she loved, Valenya could feel the rage and fear build in her. It did not require her force sense to see it, it was clear on her face.

"Akita focus, you need to be Sith until we are out of here." Valenya grabbed Akita's hand and squeezed. "I will not let our master die; I can keep him alive until the droid gets here I know I can." Valenya assured Akita.

Akita's body was shaking, her eyes glowed with the dark side and pain. She began rocking back and forth while wrapping her arms around her chest. Valenya touched Akita's mind and recoiled, her emotions were more than she could bare.

"Akita sing for me." Valenya begged her. Akita shot her a look of disgust.

"What? He is dying and you want me to sing?" Akita's voice did not even sound like her. Valenya was crying on the inside, everything was falling apart. They had all suffered and yet they wanted to hope that there was another way and now it looked like their dream would die here. Their master was dying and Akita was slipping away out of the shadow into the darkness.

"Please Akita, you told me you sang for him, it may help. Please sing for him." Valenya clung to hope, it was all she had.

Akita turned her back on Valenya and stood silently in the dark. Minutes ticked away and then Valenya heard it, barely audible at first, then it grew. Akita was signing, Valenya recognized it, she had heard it many times on Coruscant. It was a popular song among the youth, she recalled that a number of the apprentices had been cautioned against singing it due to its emotional impact. It was a painful love song, unrequited love and it ended with a young lover letting the woman he loved go so that she would be happy with another.

Valenya had always thought such songs were childish and simple. As she listened to Akita sing, an ache formed in her stomach that she could not contain. The pain moved to her throat, she had no idea that Akita could sing like that.

Akita's emotions fought a war in her soul. The pain was unbearable, rage fought with love, vengeance battled sacrifice, as she sang. The main door opened and light poured in, the droid slid along on tracks, passed Akita ignoring her. Its scanners looking side to side, it came to a halt next to Valenya.

"Hello mistress, please move back I need room to assess the patient." Valenya moved to the other side of her master. The droid began immediately probing Ty'karus, it pulled a box of tools from the platform between its tracks. Valenya looked back to Akita, she was still singing only there were objects floating in the air near her, it looked as if the gravity in the area had failed, except that they were planet side and there was no artificial gravity.

Sergeant Yanar stepped inside and stood watching Akita, his fear at her reaction overwhelmed by his need to listen. Valenya could see at least one other armored body near the door. Akita repeated the song and her voice turned ragged, when she reached the part where the young man watched as the woman he loved walked out of his life forever, there was a sudden burst of laughter from Akita and lightning lit the room. Her hands outstretched as blasts of white hot energy crawled along the walls, stone cracked, fixtures and mirrors shattered. The sergeant pulled back and slammed the door shut again.

Akita fell to her knees and changed the song, Valenya had not heard this song before, it was a song celebrating new life and the harvest. It had the sound of a song from Akita's home Ryloth. As she sang this song from her home something changed in her, Valenya could feel the anger break like a wave on the rocks. A moment later her consular's training let her feel as Akita sat there drained, her anger finally spent. Valenya smiled a small joyful smile.

"I am sorry mistress he needs to be moved to a medical facility, there is little I can do for him here." The droid moved back from his patient. Valenya looked at him in disbelief, Akita walked over and dropped down beside Valenya.

"You must fix him." Her voice was empty. The droid repeated its warning dispassionately. "Is there a facility here?" Valenya asked the droid.

"No mistress this planet's field hospital does not have the required facilities." It delivered its verdict and sat in silence.

Valenya clutched at ideas, she wanted to scream and then a small voice begged her for attention. It was moving forward and she listened. Her eyes grew wide. Akita had cried herself empty.

"Akita, I know what to do!" She grabbed at Akita and shook her. Akita turned to face her with blank eyes.

"Akita the ceremony, we can use it to work together to heal him" Akita blinked.

"I'm not a healer." She whispered. Valenya smiled at her.

"But I am, and you can channel your power through me, you just have to trust me, don't fight me. Akita I trust you, trust me and we can do this." She pleaded. Akita wiped at her face, she slid herself next to Valenya and took her hand. Valenya helped her stand.

"Remember, all your energy and trust, above everything else trust me." Akita blinked and nodded understanding. Valenya reached into Akita and looked searched for her power, it was the first time they had tried this and they were nowhere near the skill level that was suggested in the book that described the ritual. She let her mind float around for a moment then she gently called out searching for Akita's power. She found it, she could sense the pain in Akita as she touched her power. It made her heart ache. A moment later she wrapped herself around Akita's power, it sent a shiver through her body.

The power flowed into her threatening to overwhelm her. She opened her eyes and looked at Ty'karus. Her eyes lingered on him for only a moment, she let herself sink into his body, changing the ritual to fit her healing needs was not mentioned in the book and there was a part of her that knew there was a real chance this would kill them all.

"It's ok, I trust you." Akita's mind told her. There was a flow of warmth and Valenya took hold of the power between them. She took a moment to calm herself then swam through his body. She paused at his arm, she wanted to start with the least of his injuries. Their joined power flowed through her knowledge of healing and his bones healed as she watched. The muscles and bones popped back into place. Her confidence building Valenya plotted a course through his wounds leaving his face to the last. She smiled as each wound closed, she could feel something else in his body.

"Akita I need you to pull on the force take in as much as you can without hurting yourself. I need to concentrate on the binding of his tissues." Valenya did not wait for an answer she forged ahead. Something swam past her mind as she moved towards his heart. A moment later she moved through his shoulders and it was there again nearby something watching her floating past her in his body, she could feel its energy growing but could not see it.

Moments passed, Valenya summoned her courage and moved, at last, to his face and head.

"Hurry Valenya I won't be able to hold this power long" Akita warned her. Valenya began in silence, she concentrated and moved power into his face and head. Something floated past her, it was powerful and watching her. Valenya could not let herself be distracted no matter the cost. She ignored it. A warm shadow swam up behind her mind. She could feel Akita's mind and power next to her inside Ty'karus body. She could also feel as the warm shadow reached out toward her. 'I won't move, will not stop no matter what. So close almost done just another moment' she thought. It fell on her wrapping itself around her, the warm shadow kissed her mind for just an instant. Valenya let go of the force and she and Akita fell to the floor.


	30. Chapter 30 Visions

Chapter 30 Visions

Valenya felt the warm shadow embrace her, it had touched her only for an instant, it flooded her with images. They were a jumble in her mind, some of them were fading into blotches of color and sound. Some, however, were clear, she could see a boy fighting in the sand, he stood over a little girl who was no older than six her broken body lay in a pool of her own blood. A red skinned man congratulated him and reminded him that peace was a lie. The little boy looked out of the vision directly at Valenya and smiled.

Valenya blinked her eyes a few times adjusting to the overhead lights, her body ached all over. She pulled gently on the force tried to push away the stiffness in her bones. It took some time but she did start to feel the pain fall into a dull roar. Valenya looked around and was surprised to see that she was in her cabin. She got up slowly and headed for the door, it slid open and she stepped out into the hall.

A Twi'lek girl stood before her, she knew it was a younger Akita. Standing next to Valenya was her master, he was also younger. His face was wracked and he was screaming as he watched Akita. There was emotion on his face as he watched her, he fell to his knees screaming. The image vanished. Valenya took a deep breath.

Valenya leaned against the wall for a moment as she tried to center herself. He appeared in the hall again, leaning against the wall, he was older now. She could tell he was thinking about the girl in his visions, tears rolled down his face. The vision vanished. Valenya stepped away from the wall tentatively. Finding her strength; she allowed one hand to hug the wall as she walked through the ship.

She turned into the lounge to find it empty. Sound this time no vision, a man talking to himself arguing about philosophy the virtue of the dark side vs. the light. The sound faded. Valenya turned down the next hall and headed for the door before her.

Valenya grabbed the wall, the wraith of her master grabbed her pulled her close, he kissed her deeply their mouths tangled, she was inundated with passion and heat. She could feel as their two bodies moved as one, she could taste his mouth on hers. She fell to the deck.

The arms around here were strong and held her with desperate need, she could not speak so intense was the feeling. She could feel as he held the woman in the vision, Valenya knew it was not her that he held but her senses told her otherwise, he was part of her and she part of him, she could feel it all. The vision vanished. Valenya sat on the deck alone her knees too unsteady to hold her.

When she could stand she quickly covered the remaining distance to the door and keyed the entry button. The door slid open with a hiss and there on the masters bed was Akita, she looked asleep but peaceful.

Valenya moved to the bed and sat down beside Akita. She watched her sleep for a while then gently touched her shoulder. Akita's eyes opened and she smiled at Valenya. There was a sudden look of confusion on Akita's face "What happened, is he alright?" she tried to move and her face grimaced, Valenya put a hand on her shoulder and pushed her back.

"Don't try to move just yet. If you feel anything like I did it's going to take a moment for you to recover. Here let me help." Valenya washed energy over Akita letting her healing settle over her then gently sink into her body. Akita relaxed.

"Why did you bring me back here, we need to..." Valenya gave Akita a confused look.

"I didn't bring you here I thought you brought me here. Ok well let's get you up and find out what's going on." She helped Akita up.

Valenya headed for the door and another vision hit her. He had displeased his instructor and was being punished, his body writhed with pain as lightning coursed through him, it hit Valenya as if it were her body being tortured, she fell to the ground unable to speak. She looked around her and in the sand beside the instructor were two more bodies these students had done more than disappoint their instructor, they had failed him.

Akita was shaking Valenya's shoulders when the vision faded.

"Val what's wrong, talk to me!" she pleaded. Valenya blinked.

"Visions, ever since the ritual I have been having short intense visions. They seem so real. They seem to be fading but there is no warning and they are so intense." She was back on her feet. The pair made their way through the ship and ended up at the exit ramp.

"Val you ok to keep going?" Akita asked. Valenya could hear the concern in her voice.

"I will be okay, like I said they are fading." She did not want to talk about the visions not right now." Valenya keyed the security pad, the door opened the ramp was already deployed.

They froze in place as they felt and heard the presence of people outside the ship. Akita reached out and felt three people, her heart raced as she felt her master. She smiled and looked at Valenya, the look on her face showed that she had felt it as well. They headed down the ramp together.

Ty'karus stood in front of a Sith dressed in ornate looking robes, his face was covered by a plain featureless silver mask. Beside him stood a creature out of legend a Dashade it towered over the others, its muscular body was covered in strange markings and odd looking implants. To the right of the Sith stood a lanky man wearing a long coat, beneath the coat was a well-kept set of blasters. The man stood with his arms crossed over his chest. A look of mild disinterest was visible on his face.

Valenya and Akita moved to the bottom of the ramp and took up positions behind Ty'karus. Valenya was surprised at how happy she was to see him. She was concerned, however, that the emotion she was feeling may have been influenced by the visions she was having. Her doubt was beginning to become an annoyance. _'All I have seen, all he has done, why do I still doubt him?_' she wondered.

"Well I must confess dealing with you is always Interesting Casius. Ah I see your apprentices have come to join us." Akita did not have to see the smile behind the mask to know he was wearing one. Akita moved to the right of Ty'karus and knelt at his feet facing the visitors. She uncoiled the rope on her belt, connected it to her slave collar and handed the end to her master. Ty'karus looked down at her and smiled as he took the end of the rope.

The sense of surprise coming from the Sith was palpable as was the lust and lechery coming from the man in the long coat. He now wore a skewed smile. Valenya did her best to act the part but it was still difficult. She moved to Ty'karus left and remained standing, try as she may she could not bring herself to preen and fawn over Ty'karus as Akita did, she knew it was in their best interests to look the part but it was beyond her. She felt her anger bubble to the surface, she was mad at her doubt, mad at her inability to put on a silly act to keep them safe and mad at the desire to hold him and tell him she was so glad he was alive.

The Sith took a step forward. "Casius I have to tell you I am envious! This one is a work of art." He looked at Akita and she smiled back at him. Ty'karus remained silent. The robed Sith pointed to Valenya

"But this one, Ty'karus her anger is delicious, she will make a formidable Sith." He pointed at Valenya and looked to Ty'karus. "May I?" Ty'karus nodded. The robed Sith took a few steps stopping directly in front of Valenya. He raised his hand toward her face, Valenya's anger spiked. He withdrew his hand as he looked her up and down, he walked around her. She stood still as he surveyed her like a piece of meat.

"Well that settles it then. I was not going to pursue this matter but your work here has convinced me. I must have one of my own" The Sith returned to his place next to the Dashade. He pointed at Akita.

"This one will serve your flesh but that one." He pointed at Valenya. "She will learn from you and when she kills you, your legacy of hate will be assured. Congratulations." Valenya felt a wave of ice flow through her. His words cut her to the bone.

"I must be going Cas. It has been a pleasure and I wish you success in your next endeavor" he chuckled as he turned and left the hangar. Ty'karus turned and walked back up the ramp without saying a word.

The ramp retracted and the door closed behind them. He left out a deep sigh. Akita practically leapt into his embrace, she clung to him. Ty'karus wrapped his arms around her and put his face into her neck.

Valenya was still in shock. _'When she kills you, your legacy of hate will be assured_' the words echoed in her mind over and over. How had it come to this? Akita was the one who had embraced the dark side in the cantina not her.

Ty'karus let go of Akita and stepped toward Valenya. He looked into her eyes and saw her pain. He slowly pulled her close and put his arms around her. Valenya closed her eyes. The memories of her visions flooded over her. But they were not her memories they were Akita's the passion she felt was not hers. This man had been prepared to die to protect her and somehow she still doubted him. She had seen glimpses of what Akita had seen and she had been right, his life was a nightmare compared to hers. Her fear and hate were mixed with guilt and shame. It was infuriating.

"Let it go Val, please." He pulled her closer, held her tight. She was supposed to hate men like this but she couldn't. He held her a moment longer then let her go.

"Val you need to work through your anger, I want to help but we both know that I am at least partly to blame. Sit with Akita meditate talk, find a path to peace. And please ignore what he said, I know you, I trust you. You are not and could not be the person he saw; you will not become my legacy of hate." He stepped back from her.

"What you both did to heal me was incredibly brave and stupid. You could have been killed in the attempt. Thank you for saving me but don't do that again." He smiled at them.

"Valenya you should assume that part of the anger your feeling is residual from the ritual, it's not anyone's fault I just thought you should know that you both shared emotions. Valenya you took on some of Akita's rage and Akita took on some of your calm. Valenya without it I am sure that the harm done to Akita by the darkness she embraced would have been much worse. You saved us both " Akita looked shocked and Valenya felt a little better knowing that part of the anger she was feeling may not be her own.

"When I woke up on the floor of the club you were both unconscious, I pulled the security recordings and secured Kwiee. Sergeant Yannar and his team were very helpful and spoke highly of both of you." He chuckled.

"I have Kwiee in the cargo hold we will question him later for now I need to make a visit to a shop in town and you need to rest." Ty'karus opened the hatch lowered the ramp and left the ship. The door closed behind him. And they were alone.


	31. Chapter 31 Balance

Chapter 31 Balance

Later that day..

Valenya went to the cargo bay to fetch some mats. Ty'karus had moved the cage that was once in her room, back into the cargo bay. In the cage sat Kwiee, the man who Akita had almost killed in the club. The reason that Ty'karus had drawn his lightsaber. He saw her come in but remained silent. Valenya found the mats, collected two and left him in the darkness.

Akita and Valenya set the mats on the floor in the lounge and began a series of Jedi exercises and meditations designed to cleanse oneself and increase focus. They did this in silence for the better part of two hours. When they were finished they sat facing each other. Akita was the first to break the silence.

"Val I am so sorry for what I put you through, you paid the price for my anger and I don't know how to make it up to you." She looked down at the mat, not ready to look at Valenya directly.

"It's ok Akita, the anger's gone, I am fine now." She gave her a thin but reassuring smile. Akita looked up at her.

"But you still have doubts?" Akita could sense it nagging at Valenya.

"Yes. I am trying but my understanding of him is different. I know he saved my life, our lives. And I have seen fragments of his life, but..." Valenya paused. Akita could sense her reason for hesitating but she needed to let Valenya say it on her own terms.

"But he is an inquisitor, they are the epitome of manipulation and corruption, they live to break people, for them lying is as easy as breathing. I can't get that fact out of my mind." She slumped on the mat and let out an exasperated sigh.

Akita cocked her head to one side and stared at Valenya. A few moments later she furled her brow. Valenya felt something between hope and doubt rise in Akita.

"What? Spit it out." She barked. Akita gave her a coy look.

"Nope, never mind, stupid thought, you would never consider it. We should continue with our exercises I don't know about you but my muscles still ache." She got up and moved into a basic stretching position. Valenya jumped to her feet.

"Oh no, if you have a suggestion I want to hear it. I will do anything to get past this doubt. Now tell me." She pleaded. Akita shook her head.

"I don't think you can do it." Akita's emotions now showed a thread of hope and something whimsical, Valenya was surprised at the combination, it was almost childlike. Valenya stepped forward and took a hold of Akita by the wrist

"I promise Akita, anything short of killing someone or going to the dark side tell me." Akita laughed at her. Valenya could now feel a genuine sense of mischief from Akita it was annoying. Akita tried to compose herself but failed at her first attempt. She was almost doubled over with laughter.

"Nope you talk a good story but you won't even consider it." Tears rolled down her face she was laughing so hard.

"Akita get a hold of yourself. This is serious, I can't stay like this if you have a solution you need to tell me!" Her hands were on her hips and she had put on her most serious face. Akita wiped away the tears of laughter and looked deep into Valenya's eyes.

"Bed him." She said quietly. There was a moment of utter silence.

"Are you mad?!" Valenya shouted. Akita smiled ear to ear but said nothing. Valenya began a long tirade of reasons why her suggestion was simply insane. Akita crossed her arms and listened, the smile on her face never changed. Akita was surprised by how many reasons Valenya had thought up. When she started to repeat herself Akita interrupted.

"You said anything short of murder or going to the dark side. My suggestion involves neither." She let that sit and waited for Valenya to respond. Valenya spluttered on for a bit then dropped back to the mat.

"Akita how could you even suggest such a thing?" Valenya asked quietly. Akita sat down next to her.

"It will only work if you want to be with him, I think, well ok I am pretty sure. I don't think it requires that you have feelings for him just that you need to be with him and if it lets you see his life like I did then it would certainly remove your doubts. That should give you reason enough to want to be with him. I think." Akita was frowning as if she was trying to follow the logic in her last statement.

"Even if I gave any consideration to this, there is the question of whether he would be willing. I can't believe I am even talking about this." She buried her face in her hands unable to continue looking at Akita.

"Have you looked at yourself recently? You're gorgeous and look at that outfit! Besides I happen to know he thinks about it." She smiled at Valenya.

"WHAT!" Valenya exploded. Akita burst out laughing again.

"Valenya he is a man, yes he is a Sith but he is still a man and they are all pretty simple when you get to know them." She put emphasis on '_know them_'. Valenya gave her an odd look and blushed. '_Oh great mother how could I be so insensitive?_' Akita thought suddenly aware that Valenya had been a good and honorable Jedi.

"Oh Val I am sorry. I can't believe I forgot so quickly what it's like to be, to not have, that is to say, you haven't have you?" Akita asked delicately. Valenya looked at her with a look that surely could have peeled the paint off of a ship's hull.

"No. Until just recently I was an obedient Jedi who followed the rules." She snapped back in response. Akita suddenly felt bad for making the suggestion.

"I am sorry Val, it's up to you of course, and I won't bring it up again if you don't want me to." Akita got to her feet and continued her exercises. It was close to an hour that Valenya sat on the mat thinking.

"Akita if and that's a monumental if, how would I even talk to him about it?" her blue face was flushed. Akita stopped her exercise.

"Well not to be too direct but you grab him and stick your tongue in his mouth, he will figure it out from there, promise." Akita smiled at her and covered her mouth to stifle another fit of giggles. "I am going to take a shower and I promise I won't say anything to him and I won't mention it again. Ok?" Akita said sincerely. Valenya nodded.

Valenya paced through the ship like a caged animal. It was a constant struggle to keep her emotions from getting away from her. Fear kept creeping to the surface, she used the force to suppress then cleanse it. The other emotions were something different entirely. The small part of her that was considering Akita's crazed suggestion was bubbling forth with images and questions and a constant stream of physical effects. Her body was a nerve one single warm tingly nerve. Her stomach kept lurching and fluttering.

In the club things had been life or death yet her training had kept her focused. When Akita had lost control she had remained in the moment. Valenya looked back over the past few weeks. The choices had been hers, she agreed with her master's view not because he used pain and pleasure to break her but because in her heart she knew he was right. She was strong, capable and smart, in all areas save this one. She reviewed what he had taught her. '_Accept your feelings, listen to them and learn from them do not bury them_'. Her feelings were part of the reason she had doubt.

She knew it would displease her master but Valenya pulled gently on the force and raised all her emotional barriers. It was like stepping out of the Tatooine sun into an air conditioned room. She was calm, empty, and alone with her thoughts. Clarity did not come easily but it did come. She was surprised at the emotions looking at her from behind the barrier. Sitting here in silence looking at them gave her a different perspective. If nothing else, it let her understand which ones were most prevalent, which had been causing the most disruption. She would need to talk to her master and suggest that moments of emotionless clarity may be of benefit, at least during the first few months as a Shadow.

Valenya opened her eyes and let the barriers slide away. Her emotions washed over her but did not overwhelm her. Akita was back in the lounge taking a meal at one of the tables. Valenya got to her feet and headed to the fresher, a shower would give her additional time to think.

Valenya exited the shower and came face to face with Akita. She was smiling at her while trying to contain her emotions.

"Well?" Akita asked. Valenya dressed in fresh clothes, she gave Akita a blank look and left the room. "Val say something!" Akita begged her. Valenya ignored her, it gave her some satisfaction to see Akita's frustration.

Upon leaving the fresher both Akita and Valenya felt their master return. Akita shot a look at Valenya, who promptly ignored her. Valenya located her master.

"Master do you have a moment?" her voice was calm and emotionless. He frowned for a moment,

"Of course Val anything for you. Is everything alright?" he asked. She gave him a very Jedi smile and nodded.

They went to the lounge and sat on the curved couch near the sabacc table.

"Valenya you seem much more relaxed and calm, what did you do?" Ty'karus asked. Valenya presented her suggestion. True to his word he did seem to care about her opinion. They debated for a while and decided that during the initial few months it may be a good idea to include a regular meditation session for the purpose of centering all emotion. Akita sat on the other side of the lounge watching them with disinterest. Valenya had tried to include Akita but she gave only halfhearted feedback.

The conversation ended and Ty'karus got up to leave. Valenya grabbed him by the shoulder and spun him around, before he could protest she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him full on the mouth. Akita's jaw dropped.

Ty'karus eyes were wide in shock but his arms found their way around her body. She remembered her first kiss, it was warm and made her ears buzz. This one doubly so. She pulled him in close and pushed her tongue gently between his lips as he had done to her, his lips parted and their mouths locked. She lowered her hands to his hips and pulled him close. She could feel him pressed against her it was as intoxicating as it was scary. He pulled away from her and took a deep breath.

Akita had moved to a nearby chair and was crouched on it like an animal about to pounce. She was holding her hand over her mouth but the smile she wore was still visible.

"Val, what are you doing?" Ty'karus asked, shock evident in his voice.

"Taking Akita's advice." Valenya pulled at him again, she was angered when he stepped away again. "I need to know you. The logical former Jedi side of me is stuck on you being a manipulative Sith monster." She gave him a crooked smile and stepped toward him.

"Funny way to show it, wait what? This is Akita's idea?!" he looked desperately at Akita for a response. Akita bounced up and down on the chair shaking her head.

"What? Don't act so surprised, you've been thinking about it for some time now." She smiled at him. He arched an eyebrow.

"I think about a lot of things, trust me when I say you are happy I don't act on all of them." He shot back.

Valenya moved toward him again, he took another step backward.

"Val wait. If you want to know me maybe we can do this another way. Please." Valenya's hold on her emotions was failing, all she could hear in his voice was that she was not someone he wanted to know that way. That there was something about her that cause him to recoil at the idea of being with her. She blinked at him.

"Why? Was Akita wrong, don't you find me..." He put his hand out and cut her off.

"Don't say it. Akita was not wrong; any man would be happy to be with you myself included but not this way. Never because you think you have to or that it's your only choice. I made you a promise same as I did for Akita now let's sit and talk please." He pleaded.

Valenya stepped back, Ty'karus relaxed and Akita had an angry look of disappointment on her face.

Ty'karus told them both to stay put and headed for the cargo bay. He returned a few minutes later with a small cloth wrapped box. He directed them to sit on the floor together. He placed the box on the floor and pulled the cloth away so that the cover was visible. He ran his finger in a complex pattern over the box then concentrated on the box. A moment later there was a satisfying click from within. The lid flipped open revealing a yellow crystal sitting in a multi-colored liquid.

"We spoke of the Jedi ceremony used to help Sith or Jedi influenced by the dark side. I mentioned a Sith alchemical equivalent." He pointed to the crystal. "This is it." Akita looked uncomfortable as did Valenya.

"The information I have says that a master would gather other Sith and take control of their power, focus it and use it to interrogate or break his victim." He pulled a small pouch from his belt, he opened it into his hand and two red crystals rolled out into his palm.

"These are the control crystals. If we don't use them, then this crystal will act to enhance a joining of power and self. It will allow us to know each other, for lack of a better word." He put the red crystals back in the pouch and put it on the floor between them.

Akita fidgeted, "Why don't you two use it I already know you master." She gave him an odd smile.

"No Akita I want you included. Unless you don't want to participate?" he asked her. She hesitated, her hands fidgeted.

"In the club I gave in to anger, Valenya has already suffered from that, I don't want you to see." Her face showed her pain and guilt. Valenya put a hand on hers. Ty'karus leaned toward her.

"You have seen my life." He paused for a moment then locked his eyes to hers. "Your darkness is a blazing sun compared to mine." He held out a hand to her, she took it. He looked at Valenya. "Last chance to change your mind." He offered her his hand. She took it, her hand was cold and clammy. "Now reach into the crystal with the force and relax.

Valenya touched the crystal with her power and felt herself floating in memories. Much of it was familiar, the Jedi temple on Coruscant, and the halls of learning. Faces of the instructors and Jedi masters. She walked the halls sometimes alone other times she was surrounded by voices and images. She could smell and feel the place but it was not as comforting as it once had been. She turned a corner and she was standing in the hot sand, giant monuments all around her.

A dozen children stood in the hot noon sun, it was blazing hot yet they stood in silence. Three lay dead in the sand, bloody slashes on their backs. She turned and saw the taskmaster, she felt the fear and hate they had for him. Images flashed again and she felt Ty'karus' enthusiasm as he tortured the man before him. He was a young boy, his face said he was less than ten years of age but he stood there looking over a selection of torture instruments his hands flitting from one to another as he looked for the one he called friend.

The images kept changing, she knew Akita's memories they were so close enough to her own that they blurred with hers. His memories were easy to find, they were painful vivid and raw. She wanted to be here she had asked for this so she held on. Her stomach turned time and time again as she watched him being tortured and torturing others. The suffering the killing.

She heard Akita's voice echo in her mind, '_if the Jedi knew what the Sith go through maybe they would try harder to save them._' The images and feelings moved forward, she now saw him trying to fight the force visions that Akita told her about. Trying with all his might to overcome the feelings that he feared would weaken him. Pain and torture, she saw his capacity for pain, it made her ache.

Akita's face was at the center of his thoughts, Valenya could feel his pain his desperate need to save her to hold her. He suffered each time she was hurt or scared. She felt the longing he had for Akita as if it were her own. Years flashed by as she watched. She saw him come to the realization that to hold Akita would require he change their destiny. He killed, manipulated, lied and cheated to find his way to power, all the while it was for her, Valenya knew it was Akita that drove Ty'karus forward but in this shared memory it felt like it was her, he wanted. It pierced her heart like a lightsaber, he had survived all this, done all this for her.

The images moved faster as they moved closer to the present, the colors were more vivid and the sounds clearer. She saw him as an adult now, nothing he did was by chance. His capacity for manipulation was terrifying. He had told Akita that her darkness was as a blazing sun compared to his, now for the first time she understood. She wanted to recoil to get away but there was someone beside her holding her hand, Akita. Valenya held on to her as they watched. She could feel Akita adding her strength to hers, it gave her the courage to stay, to learn the truth.

When she thought her heart and soul could bear no more the images changed. His mind softened, he changed. The darkness drained away over the years until he was a man in shadow driven to one end. Finding her, holding her. The images began to falter they split and fractured. They were no longer visions of the distant past but recent events, as she watched she could see herself looking back until at last all she could see was her own face in the facet of the yellow crystal.

Her breath ragged she coughed and blinked. The lights in the room were dim and she was tired so tired. Akita sat beside her still holding her hand. Ty'karus sat with his back to her, his body in a meditative position. She reached a hand toward him but Akita stopped her. "We need to leave him alone for a while. Come." She motioned her to follow. They left the room and went to the kitchen area.

"Before you ask, yes that's pretty much the same thing I experience when we joined. The first time was that intense. It's different now but it's still really nice" she smiled at Valenya.

"I feel different Akita, I'm tired but I feel." She paused looking for the right word.

"Strong, confident a little cold inside and right now you know that to protect the ones you love, you would kill without hesitation?" Akita offered. Valenya nodded

"That's from him isn't it?" she asked quietly. Akita nodded a silent yes in response.

They sat in silence for a while. "We've talked about it and we believe that what you're feeling is a balancing of sorts. It's influenced by the person with the strongest emotions, for now and for the foreseeable future that will be him." Akita waited before continuing, she wanted to make sure that Valenya had time to adjust to each new piece of information. "You brought something new to the balancing." She said quietly.

Valenya's ears warmed, given how hard she was holding onto Ty'karus memories she had not given much attention to what they may have seen of her life.

"I hope there wasn't anything bad, was there?" she searched Akita's face.

"No not bad, just different. I could see that you worry about my behavior." She smiled, Valenya's face flushed and she lowered her eyes. "Don't worry Val, I also felt how much you care. I saw what you did for me. It was you that hired the bounty hunter to come after me. I saw the council refuse your request to send a Jedi. You can't know how much that means to me." She put her hand on Valenya's.

Ty'karus interrupted them with a cough. They turned in unison. "I'm sorry to interrupt but its time, we need to talk to Kwiee."


	32. Chapter 32 Answers and Arrogance

Chapter 32 Answers and arrogance

Akita and Valenya followed Master Ty'karus to the cargo hold. Akita noticed that the wrist armor on his right had changed. His clothing was usually comprised of different types of armored cloth and leather, but his right gauntlet was heavier and there were extra buttons on the tech plate.

They entered the cargo hold to find that Ty'karus had shackled the prisoner to the top bars of the cell by his wrists. Next to the cell sat a tray of instruments, Valenya knew what they were, she had seen them and how he used them.

Valenya looked at Akita, her face was cold, she wore a thin curved smile up one side of her mouth, it gave her a cruel look. Her emotions painted a different picture, apprehension and trust, an odd mix but Valenya had come to understand the duality of the situation.

Ty'karus waved a hand and Kwiee regained consciousness. He was immediately aware of the change in his surroundings as well as the people in the room. There was a look of confusion on his face that turned to fear when he saw the tray of instruments.

"Whoa hold on, let's talk ok, no need to go all dark side." He put on a brave smile and tried to pull at the restraints.

Ty'karus let his hand flitter across a number of the tools pausing on one nasty looking tool comprised of a metallic probe with a curved end. He picked it up and smiled at Kwiee.

"I thought you Sith had the ability to look into my mind and know if I was telling a lie, ask me anything you want I will tell you the truth, honest." Ty'karus stepped closer to the cage.

"Who else does my master have hunting me?" he asked quietly. Kwiee's emotions bled confusion. It took Ty'karus by surprise.

"What? I don't understand." His eyes were locked on the tool Ty'karus was flipping over in his hand. Ty'karus maintained the cold look on his face but he was sure the man was telling the truth.

"When did you last see my master?" he changed direction perhaps the man did not know, '_My bad luck, if I believed in luck_', he thought.

"I am here at the direction of your master, I came straight here after speaking with him. Just arrived." He offered sincerely.

"What are your orders?" Ty'karus used the force to feel the man's heart beat, he reached into the man's mind twisting and turning here and there, he should be more compliant now.

"I'm not Sith so my info is limited, my job here is simple backup. He sent a new apprentice, Volith to investigate someone, I was sent to watch Volith and take over if he failed to complete the mission. He never mentioned you." No change in heart rate, breathing steady, fear and confusion but he was telling the truth.

"Who were you and the apprentice here to investigate?" Ty'karus put the tool back on the tray. Kwiee relaxed a bit.

"Darth Zash's apprentice, your master believes that her apprentice is searching for relics here on Tatooine. The order was gather intel only, there is no kill or capture order." No resistance, not a hint of a lie. It did not prove anything but it certainly opened the door to more questions.

"Tell me about the others with you." He asked. Kwiee frowned.

"A new crew that's all. I was told to dump my old crew. Your master is very cautious, every now and then he has me replace them. He trusts me, more or less, but he likes to keep things tight." Kwiee smiled.

"And by replace, you mean he kills them and you save on pay and then hire new meat yes?" Valenya couldn't believe what she was hearing. Kwiee nodded.

"Your master has, you know, certain entertainment requirements." Even chained in a cage this man managed to laugh. "I try to hire based on what I know your master likes. He appreciates my being so accommodating." Kwiee chuckled.

Ty'karus picked up an injector, he reached through the bars and put the device against Kwiee's neck. There was a hiss and the man's body went limp.

"Master I felt no attempt at deception." Valenya nodded her agreement with Akita's assessment.

"I agree" said Ty'karus. "It suggests that either my master has not told his number one enforcer of his displeasure with me, or..." A deep frown fell over his face. He turned and left the cargo bay. The two women followed him.

"Master what does it mean?" Akita asked.

"It means that as much as I hate to consider it, I have been manipulated into showing my hand. I need to check on a few things. I will be back shortly. Please release him from the bindings but confine him to the room." They nodded and he strode down the hallway at a brisk pace. A moment later they heard the hatch open and shut.

Akita turned to Valenya a wicked smile on her face. She leaned in close, her eyes narrowed.

"Val want to try some of those devices on Kwiee before we take him down?" her smiled widened and Valenya's face filled with horror.

"Akita you're not serious!" she asked while taking a step backwards.

"Of course not but you should see your face!" she laughed out loud.

"You wicked child." Valenya stood there with her hands on her hips. Akita could not stop laughing.

"Sorry but you need to get into the part more it's kind of fun." Akita took Valenya's face in her hands and turned it gently from side to side as if searching for something.

"If you could drop your Chiss seriousness for just a bit you could find your inner Sith, those beautiful red eyes could be quite intimidating if you worked at it." She giggled and let go of Valenya's face. "Come on lets go see to Kwiee." Valenya sighed and they returned to the cargo bay. They released Kwiee from his bindings, they left him on a mat and locked the door behind them.

"Val, you never told me and I don't want to pressure you but how do you feel now?" Akita asked. Valenya read a hint of fear in her voice.

"Different. He manipulated and tricked you, he tortured me, and I know how this is going to sound but I'm okay with it." She sighed. Akita chewed on her bottom lip.

"I guess what I'm really asking is, did you get what you needed from it?" They walked together to the lounge.

"I did, my doubts are gone, it will take some time to reconcile all that I felt and saw but for the most part it's better now." Valenya poured herself a hot drink and took a seat. Akita looked at her in silence for a moment.

"For the most part?" Valenya looked a little agitated. '_She can be very persistent when she wants to be._' She thought.

"I have never experienced anything like that before, I was not prepared for the feelings, I know, I really do know that the feelings I felt were about you. But in the moment it felt like it was me. It felt like someone loved me that much." Valenya was surprised that she was able to share this with Akita, normally this would have been something she would keep to herself. '_Confidence from the balancing perhaps?_' she wondered.

"Thanks for sharing Val, it means a lot to me."

Ty'karus sat on the roof top in a meditative state, the evenings on Tatooine were cold but it was a welcome change from the heat of the day. It had taken him a while to locate his masters new apprentice, this Volith was cautious. He admired him as he watched him change directions, double back and take alternate routes to his fall back location.

The apprentice had found an electronics shack on the back side of the spaceport, it was isolated and contained a number of power cables that serviced the backup systems for the fire suppression equipment. The shack was small and during the day it would be as hot as an oven inside. At night it provided non-monitored power access, enough power to use a long range transmitter.

Ty'karus sat quietly at a safe distance, he worked at being a shadow, he concentrated on minimizing his force signature. An hour later Volith left. Ty'karus waited another hour then moved to the shack. He used the force to check for surprises then unlocked the door and stepped inside.

Plugged into the power system was a small data device and a transmitter. A quick review confirmed that the system had a double encryption protocol. He pulled the data pad from his belt pouch and clipped it into the transmitter auxiliary port. His finger hesitated over the activation button. If the device worked it meant that his master had not changed the codes he gave to his apprentices and it would confirm that he had been manipulated. If the device failed, it would most certainly signal his location to Volith and his master all in one go.

He felt a wave of nervousness flow over him, fear crept in behind it. He looked at both of the emotions and smiled. Excitement built slowly, his smile twitched and the excitement grew until is overshadowed his fear. What ever happened next it would prove he was alive, he would feel and know that his destiny was in his own hands. He pushed the button, the data pad ran its decryption and the screen flared to life. He frowned, '_Well at least now I know._'

Data in hand Ty'karus made sure everything was in place before he closed the door. Something touched his senses, he paused and keyed a command into his wrist comm unit. He turned and there on the roof in front of him stood a Jedi. He was human average height and build, short hair and a look of peace about him. The energy flowing from this man spoke volumes. Ty'karus knew this was a master Jedi.

"Good evening master Jedi, I would ask if our meeting is a coincidence but I can't imagine that many people find the roof of the spaceport an ideal spot for a stroll." He smiled The Jedi stood with his hands folded, he cocked his head to one side slightly.

"Casius Ty'karus Inquisitor of the Sith." His voice was quiet but hearing his name like that made the hair on Ty'karus forearm crawl.

"I'm sorry was there a question in there?" he smiled at the Jedi Master. The Jedi strode forward stopping some ten paces from Ty'karus. His focus was absolute, Ty'karus could not sense the man's feelings or his thoughts. Ty'karus leaned forward a bit then back.

"May I suggest we move back this way a bit more? The troopers here are not complete idiots and if they look up there is a good chance they will see you standing there. The Jedi slid a few paces to the left taking him out of the direct line of sight from the ground.

"You have stolen two of my order I will have them back." His voice betrayed him only in the slightest, a lesser Sith would not have heard the tinge of worry. Ty'karus paused for a moment mentally reviewing his options and the tools at hand.

"Let me see, I know the council has not approved a rescue mission, Kelis came after Iwelith on her own in direct violation of council orders so I am going to say that would make you, Master Benz yes?" he smiled ear to ear. A small crack minuscule in fact. But it was there in the Master Jedi's focus. Ty'karus took a few steps to his left forcing the Jedi to turn to keep his facing toward Ty'karus.

"I am Jedi Master Benz and you will release the two Jedi you hold prisoner." He focused his resolve. Ty'karus needed to diffuse this quickly the Jedi Master was preparing himself for combat and Ty'karus confidence did not include fighting a Jedi Master at the best of times let alone so soon after nearly dying.

"Prisoners? What are you talking about?" he let his barriers down just enough to ensure the Jedi would hear and feel the truth. "They are free to leave any time they want. I give you my word of honor on that." He moved a step back and stopped. The crack grew, Ty'karus was counting on Benz to read him, he would now know he was telling the truth and that would generate questions, hopefully ones that would break his concentration.

"You have turned them to the dark side? No matter, the council will draw them back into the light." The Jedi let his hands fall to his side. '_Work faster or you're dead_' Ty'karus thought. Master Benz body language was typical Jedi, he was moments away from attacking.

Ty'karus slowly put a hand out towards Master Benz. "I have no desire to fight. Is your need for vengeance so great that you have no room for negotiation?" Ty'karus asked. '_Desperate and obvious but Jedi are so black and white._' He hoped. Master Benz folded his hands. Ty'karus let out a breath. He resisted his urge to gloat.

"In that shack is an encrypted data feed tied to a transmitter. It's a covert communication link between my master and one of his apprentices. I will give you the encryption key as a sign of good will if you will hear me out." The data pad in his back pouch was new, it held only the encryption key, some of his slicer tools and a few of the most recent messages between Volith and their master, nothing would link back to him, it was a safe opening offer.

Master Benz blinked. A question hit Ty'karus. He let it swim around in him mind for a moment.

"This is the imperial side of Tatooine, you're not here by happenstance. You knew I was here, you've been tracking me!?" he was genuinely surprised and he let it show. Master Benz gave him a thin smile. Ty'karus let his emotions show a little more. '_I need to look weaker let him feel more comfortable._' he thought.

"For a long time, longer than you know." Benz offered. Ty'karus felt it, something changed in the Jedi he had let something slip but what? "I accept your offer, give me the encryption key and we can continue negotiating."

Capitulation in order to change the subject Ty'karus felt it. He knew that a Master would not negotiate with a Sith, not unless there was an ulterior motive. '_But what?!_' Ty'karus worked to keep his outward appearance in place while reviewing all the pieces of the puzzle that he knew of.

"You! You planted the false information on the bounty hunter!" Ty'karus looked at the Jedi, his face had its cold calm mask in place all his barriers had been reinforced. That could only mean that Ty'karus had guessed correctly. '_I've been played, I wonder how far?_' this did not sit well with his ego, he needed answers.

"Bravo, not many have managed to do what you have done. Well here, take your reward." He tossed the data pad to the Jedi, he held it in midair between them for a moment then pulled it the rest of the way to his outstretched hand.

"The force is my ally, through it I am able to see many things. You should know that Sith." The Jedi gave him a smile.

Ty'karus was slack jawed, his mind raced. The tone the way he said it. Had Ty'karus spent so many years watching force visions that he believed he owned them? That he and he alone could have them. Had his arrogance blinded him so completely? There was only one way to find out. '_Cast the net see what I catch._' He thought. Ty'karus pulled on the force let it flow into him, slowly, he let it build. He focused all of it into his senses, directed all of them towards Master Benz.

"How far I wonder, Nar Shaddaa? Ryloth? Drommund Kass perhaps further?" he took a step to the left then back. It was there, the smallest measure of change, it took all his skill all his energy to sense it but it was there. This Jedi had seen all that and more.

"I know you Sith and I know that you have potential. I can sense it in you. Return my charges to me and I will help you. You don't have to walk this path alone." He said quietly.

Ty'karus felt the wave of influence as it hit him. '_He is trying to turn me!?_' Ty'karus took another step backwards, his eyes went wide. Ty'karus redirected focus to his mental barriers.

"Who sends an apprentice alone through neutral territory in times like these?" His heart jumped. The Jedi blinked, his face flushed. "You used her as bait! That's it!" he screamed. The Jedi stepped back his focus failed emotion rolled off of him for just a moment.

There was a scream as Akita and Valenya completed their force jump to the roof, Ty'karus open comm unit had guided them to him, they had also heard the entire conversation. The moment Akita's feet hit the roof she moved into a dash, both sabers ablaze. Valenya likewise darted to Ty'karus side. Akita slammed into her old Master, he met and countered both of her sabers then slammed her backwards with a wave of his hand.

"I am sorry child but it was for the greater good. I knew he would not harm you. Once you are back with us you will come to understand." He said calmly. Valenya wore shock on her face openly.

"What about me Master Benz was I part of it as well?" she asked, her voice clearly pained.

"No you were not, if you had obeyed the council you would not have gotten mixed up in this. Your emotions led you here, I am sorry." He moved to place them in a position of his choosing. Ty'karus did not move. Akita launched herself at him again, Master Benz deflected all of her attacks with ease. The ballet of strikes, parries and counter attacks was masterful. It took Ty'karus only a moment to realize that even with three of them, the outcome was uncertain and death at least for one of them was probable.

"Akita stop!" he yelled, Akita flipped backwards landing next to Ty'karus.

"Why?" Ty'karus asked. Benz took a step forward.

"You. The council has seen the potential risk you pose. I was authorized to take steps. I can offer you a return to the light a place in the Republic." Ty'karus paused. '_Do I dare consider it?_' he asked himself.

"And what of them? I assume they go back to the Jedi order as well, after retraining?" Valenya and Akita looked at him, their expressions asking if he was seriously considering this. "I love them, can you accept that? Will you let us stay together?" He was sure of the answer but he needed to know.

"I understand your feelings, but once you have been with the Jedi for a time they will fade, you can become a useful member of the Jedi order, as will they." Master Benz smiled reassuringly.

"So I can turn my back on the Sith find peace and serenity with the Jedi and the price is these women that I love. That's it yes?" Ty'karus was not angry he was genuinely sad. There had always been a small part of him that had wondered if the Republic could be better than the Sith. Now he was about to find out and it hurt.

Master Benz gave him a contemplative look for just a moment. "I do understand and respect your commitment, I do. But as long as there is emotion, attachment, passion, there is the potential for darkness. Our rules have been in place for thousands of years. They are for your own protection. There is an alternative of course." Ty'karus noticed a brief pause as the Jedi moved his hand over his wrist.

"Would that alternate course include cutting our access to the force? I am sure you can use me as a propaganda tool and what's two young Jedi against all the information I can provide you over the long term?" his voice dripped with vitriol. The Jedi Master stepped back, Ty'karus thought he noticed the slightest look upwards. '_Oh this can't be good._' He worried.

"I can feel your emotions Sith, we both know you are so close. It's just one step from where you are into the light. But you must decide now!" as he finished a Jedi corvette dropped out of the clouds with a deafening howl. The engine wash blasted the roof making it hard to stand. The cannons turned and fired, blasting the roof behind them. Explosions rocked them, Akita and Valenya moved forward Ty'karus followed them. Master Benz held his position, he stood against the wind as if it was a light breeze.

The corvette fired again taking out the large communications array, it then pivoted and opened fire on the Imperial garrison building. Explosions filled the night as did plumes of fire and ash. The smell of burning plastics made them cough. They moved to the right and the corvette blasted holes in the roof to their right and left cutting off their path. The only choice they had now was forward or up and both would force them to engage the Jedi Master.

"I have no desire to see you dead, you can have a bright future in the light. I know you have let go of the dark, take the next step." He offered his outstretched hand. The Jedi corvette took fire, its shields held. Master Benz looked surprised.

"You don't think you're the only one who can signal for assistance do you?" He smiled at the Jedi. The imperial interceptor rose out of its landing bay with all guns firing. The two ships were evenly matched but the corvette was alone, the alarm had been sounded and other ships would launch or arrive soon. Master Benz pulled his wrist to his face and barked a command into the comm unit. Ty'karus could not hear the command through the din but he was willing to bet he knew what it was. He grabbed Akita and Valenya and pulled them behind the relay hut.

The corvette fired, the hut took the brunt but they were still peppered with flying debris. Unable to fight they moved to full defense. Ty'karus raised his hand and erected a static shield around them, Valenya picked up a chunk of the hut and lifted it up in hopes it would take a blast before disintegrating completely. Akita looked for her former master in the smoke and ash.

A blast of yellow and the hut debris and the static shield failed, the blast laid them out flat on their backs. An imperial fighter climbed out of a nearby bay and joined the interceptors attack on the corvette. The corvette turned, the bay door was open and they could see Master Benz leap out of the smoke onto the ramp and disappear inside.

Ty'karus pointed to the edge of the roof and they all leapt. Three stories to the ground a force landing and they were safe.


	33. Chapter 33 Machinations

Chapter 33 Machinations and medics

Ty'karus pulled on the burnt piece of metal one last time, it finally let go and slid out of his shoulder. Valenya and Akita had both spent the last few moments pulling bits of debris from a number of their own wounds. They had moved away from the burning spaceport to a safer spot near the first set of market stalls. Imperial troops and fire suppression equipment moved past them as did a host of emergency service droids. Akita hung her head, frustration and sorrow rolled off of her.

"I can't believe the council would sanction using me as bait. To throw an apprentice into the hands of a Sith." She looked up and gave him a sideways glance.

"Sorry I, that's not what I meant." She sighed heavily.

"Oh it's exactly what you meant and I understand completely. But look at it from their point of view. They apparently knew me, they did not consider me a threat to your safety." He was still dealing with his own wounded pride and ego.

"You're not making excuses for the Jedi are you master?" Valenya asked quietly.

"No not at all, it's just. This is exactly what I was talking about. Sith vs. Jedi the unending struggle. You two, all the people in there." He pointed to the burning spaceport. "Caught in the middle." He brushed at the ash and soot on his clothes.

"Akita you once said that if we spoke to the Jedi council maybe we could make them understand. If we could get them to appreciate what Sith go through during training." He nudged her shoulder, she barely reacted.

"What you need to understand is that during their training, young Sith are wounded here and here." He pointed to his heart then his temple. "For the Jedi it happens afterwards. They suffer and die a little bit with each choice that has a cost in lives, each compromise. It's why they accept the need to bury their emotions." He offered.

"Come on, enough self-pity lets go help deal with the fires." Not waiting for their response, he rose and headed back toward the spaceport.

They had been helping for almost an hour when a Sith in heavy armor approached them, he was wearing the markings of house Mott. By his side was a young male Zabrak, in a surprisingly revealing outfit. His shoulders were covered as was his left arm to the wrist. He wore dark mesh pants that rode low on his hips. His boots were ornately inscribed armored boots that stopped at the knee. His chest and back were bare, his chiseled muscular physique bore a number of markings. He smiled at Akita and Valenya but paid them little attention.

"Ty'karus, there you are. I am gratified to see that our master does not need to find yet another apprentice." Sarcasm dripped from him. He lowered his hood to reveal a bald pale skinned head. Rattataki were well known for their battle prowess as well as the enjoyment of all things violent. "I am Volith D'jarn. I am disappointed that the Jedi managed to escape but gratified that I was able to be of assistance."

Ty'karus heard the message loud and clear. This new apprentice was under the impression that his involvement in recent events would raise his favor with their master. 'Politics, nobody does it like the Sith' he chuckled to himself. Ty'karus was not quite in the mood for this game and choose to let his comments slide as long as Volith left things as they were.

Ty'karus flicked his hand in the direction of Akita and Valenya

"My slaves and apprentices Akita and Valenya." He smiled at Volith.

"A Twi'lek and Chiss, both of low birth. It's an affront to all of us to train them as Sith." The Zabrak apprentice said under his breath. Volith's hand shot out, his fist caught his apprentice in side of the face knocking him to the ground. Rage seethed from him. He looked up at his master in surprise.

"And both of them former Jedi my rash apprentice. Show respect for your betters or I will find another apprentice." Volith smiled at Ty'karus again. "Pzaxim Tan my new apprentice, if he lives I believe he will be useful to the cause." Ty'karus nodded

"Well I am pleased that my master's selection of apprentices has improved." Ty'karus said with a polite smile. Volith bowed his head slightly.

"Thanks again for your assistance. I will consider us even and take my leave." He turned but stopped when Volith coughed loudly.

"Even Ty'karus? Whatever are you talking about?" He crossed his large arms over his chest. Ty'karus smiled at him. '_Nope could not pass up the opportunity._' he admitted to himself.

"Can you think of any reason I would be up on the spaceport roof?" Volith cringed but said nothing. "I make it my business to keep an eye on master's apprentices as I know you do as well. So when I saw the Jedi snooping around your secret transmitter array I decided to intervene at great personal risk to myself and my apprentices. I am not sure if he was up there long but for your sake let's hope I got there in time." It was Ty'karus' turn to smile annoyingly. Volith's eyes widened.

"Yes indeed. Even then. I will take my leave of you Ty'karus." He bowed, deeper this time and turned to leave.

The smile on Ty'karus' face was ear to ear as he coughed loudly. Volith stopped and turned.

"Yes?" Agitation was clear on his pale white face.

"I don't know what you were transmitting and I don't care but if you had gear in there that could have been compromised, you really should report it." He let that hang in the air. "Or I could." The air grew thick. Valenya and Akita took a step back. Pzaxim looked to his master in anticipation.

"What do you want?" Volith's voice was deep and cold, his eyes narrowed.

"Future consideration." Ty'karus waited 'Take the bait come on.' he thought.

"What kind of consideration?" Volith asked.

"Volith I am sure by now you have heard that my ambitions run in a different direction than most Sith. Parallel but different." Volith nodded, the look on his face said he had no idea but was trying to cover it.

"I have no doubt that one day you will rise to power and kill our master." He said it casually. Volith could not mask his feelings at the suggestion. "When you do, you will agree to let me continue my research." Ty'karus once again put forth his best detached look.

"You have no such ambition Casius?" Volith asked? Ty'karus noticed the change in Volith's tone, he was also happy to hear Volith use his first name, it was a clear indicator that the Sith believed a shift in power had just taken place. Ty'karus was, after all, the senior apprentice now that Adith was out of the picture.

"I have ambition Volith, one day I will sit on the dark council but it will be because of my study of Sith Alchemy and the benefits I will bring to the Empire. Years of study and my lust for life..." He smiled and let his gaze fall to Valenya and Akita. "...have long ago distracted me from Sith politics. I am happy to leave it to warriors such as yourself." He gave a small bow in Volith's direction. Volith nodded his head understandingly.

"I can appreciate your situation, after all where would the Empire be without the Scholarly sith." He smiled at Ty'karus. "Very well Casius, I see no reason to stand in the way of progress. We have an understanding then. When I kill our master you will be allowed to continue your research." They both bowed. Volith turned and left the area. Ty'karus smiled.

A few minutes later Ty'karus and company made their way into the spaceport. The damage caused by the Jedi Corvette was substantial. The spaceport was not shielded and the ship had fired from point blank range. The fires were, for the most part, subdued but the structural damage was significant. Valenya and Akita took time to notice the body bags lined against one wall. Two troopers stood guard over the twenty odd bodies. Ty'karus moved towards an imperial officer. "Captain. Report?" He barked. The officer turned on his heel with a look of frustration on his face.

"My lord the fires are under control and we have a triage setup down that hall in the departure lounge. The Jedi ship managed to escape and has headed towards Republic space. Now if you will excuse me my lord I need to get back to my work." He saluted curtly and waited for Ty'karus to release him.

"Very good captain." The captain turned and barked orders at a group of nearby troopers. Ty'karus headed to the departure lounge, apprentices in tow.

The make shift triage center was filled with troopers, civilians and port authority workers. Many were suffering from burns and others from impact damage due to the falling superstructure of the roof. Ty'karus pulled Valenya close.

"I can't be seen helping it's beneath a Sith." He grimaced as he said it. "But I can certainly order my apprentice to do it. If you are willing." Valenya nodded and they moved into the triage center. Ty'karus hailed the first medic he could find.

"Yes my lord how can I help you. Are you injured?" she asked.

"This was all caused by a Jedi ship. My apprentice here used to serve the Jedi, I want her to understand the suffering the Jedi bring to innocent imperial lives. She is skilled in healing with the force. She will aid you and I will oversee her." He barked. The medic was too tired to argue. She pointed to a section of the triage area. Senior imperial staff and high ranking civilians. Medical droids have done all they can but unless they get to a medical ship they won't live. This is a back water facility we simply can't care for them. If you can stabilize them it would be greatly appreciated." She was called away by another medic.

Valenya gave Ty'karus with a pained look. "Master I can't heal them all." She whispered.

"Akita and I will sit here, I will channel what energy we can to you. Don't try to heal them just stabilize them. It should let you save more of them that way. Valenya wasted no time getting to work, she did her best to stabilize each patient then move to the next. As the hours passed she could feel him feeding her his energy. It warmed her and supported her, as it waned she felt him push himself harder to go further until at last he let go the connection between them. She could see him breathing in deeply.

She suddenly realized how tired she was. Valenya moved to stand and almost lost her footing. The medic they had spoken to earlier was there to catch her.

"You need to rest, you've done enough. Thank you." She smiled at Valenya then bowed her head. "I'm sorry my lord I forgot myself." Valenya per her hand on the woman's shoulder.

"No need to apologize. I'm not a very good Sith, my master is a good teacher but I have a long way to go." She chuckled. The woman's face brightened.

"What you've done here is wonderful, those people will live thanks to you." She looked over at Ty'karus and seeing him sitting eyes closed in meditation she leaned in to Valenya.

"Is it true you were a Jedi?" she whispered. Valenya nodded. "And now you're his slave and apprentice?" she scrunched her face up apologetically.

"Yes but its ok, I like being his slave and apprentice." Valenya's face flushed as she said it.

"Well thank you once again." The medic smiled and returned to her work.

Valenya tapped her master's shoulder and he opened his eyes and got to his feet. They headed through the broken corridors to the landing bay and boarded their ship.


	34. Chapter 34 Harmony

Chapter 34 Harmony

A familiar jolt and the ship jumped into hyperspace. Ty'karus ensured that Kwiee had been allowed to shower and eat before locking him back in the cargo bay. He protested but only enough to satisfy his pride and less than he thought would result in his sudden exit out an airlock.

That done, Ty'karus headed to the fresher for his own shower. As he passed through the lounge he saw his two apprentices locked in quiet conversation. 'Why does it make my hair stand on end when they do that?' he wondered. He was determined to say nothing that would endanger his shower time so he kept moving. He was gratified as he exited the lounge and even more so when he finally stepped into the shower and felts its warm embrace.

His shower finished he put on trunks and carried his clothes to his cabin for a well-deserved rest. His hopes were dashed when he was intercepted by his apprentices in the hallway just before his cabin. He raised an eyebrow in their direction and they stood their ground.

"Master we have a question." Akita said.

"Of course you do." He smiled.

"I will always make time for you. Please ask." They looked at each other than back at him.

"You have no idea what we want to talk about?" Valenya put her hands on her hips. Akita crossed her arms over her chest. Ty'karus considered tossing himself out an airlock. He hung his head. Akita lifted his chin and looked into his eyes.

"I love them, can you accept that? Will you let us stay together?" she said in her best imitation of his voice. He opened his mouth. Akita glared at him. Valenya stepped forward. "You have always said a convenient truth beats a lie any day." She smiled at him, there was an odd look in her eyes. "You could have chosen any number of lies or misdirection's but you said that. Why?" She asked quietly.

His manner changed. He dropped the clothing he was carrying and sighed.

"Until recently I was a Sith, true the last five years most of it was an act but you need to remember that although I have been living with emotions and feelings for years. I have no more experience with relationships than either of you." He straightened his shoulders his face was serious.

"You have both seen me, in the deepest way that I can imagine" He looked into Akita's eyes. "And I have seen you, nothing I feel for you has changed. It never will." She smiled at him.

"I know." She paused placing a hand on his face for a moment. "Go on." Ty'karus cleared his throat.

"But while you were helping Valenya see me, I saw her." He blinked and looked away.

"What does it mean you saw me?" her voice was quiet yet strong. Akita could feel the conflict in her. She took another step towards him. "What does it mean?" she asked again, more insistent this time.

"It means that in that moment, all of our emotions were tangled, your desire to resolve your doubt, my love for Akita and hers for me." He hesitated "Your loneliness." Valenya felt her face redden.

"Val you are so strong, I felt it, can still feel it. But I also felt what I have done to you. I'm so sorry." Neither of them could believe it but there were tears in his eyes.

"I pushed you to feel because I needed to know I could win. I needed you both so that I could have hope that we had a chance." His eyes darkened and his face seemed angrier.

"I pushed you both too fast, because of my needs, without considering what it would do to you. To strip you bare to the core in weeks, where I had years. You answered my needs but I have done little to consider yours. I'm sorry." He picked up his clothes and turned to go. Valenya caught him by the arm.

"That's it? You're sorry, you still haven't answered my question. What does it mean!?" she yelled at him.

"It means that because of the way we joined when we used that blasted Sith device and when you healed me, the love I have for Akita, blended." He paused his emotions flowed into the room, it was clear he was trying to find away to avoid continuing. He struggled for a moment longer then sighed.

"It means that no matter how I try to deny it, my feelings for you Valenya, are exactly the same as my feelings for her." He tried to look at Akita but he could not. He looked into Valenya's eyes and once more said he was sorry, he then pulled free of her grip and entered his cabin. Valenya stood there in shock. Akita was smiling.

Valenya turned to meet Akita's gaze. She had no idea what to say. Akita broke the silence by giving her a hug.

"Feel better now?" she asked with a smile.

"What? How can I feel better this is all wrong, how can I stay here knowing how he feels, how I feel?" Valenya's anger flared. Akita let go of her.

"What are you talking about? Of course you stay, why would you even talk like that? He loves us, I love him and I think you do to. Don't you?" she asked. Valenya knew she was never going to understand Akita.

"I think so but I am not sure if it's the effects of the ritual or my real feelings?" Akita looked at Valenya eyes wide.

"It's a Chiss thing yeah? Over think everything." Using the force Akita hit the door pad and as soon as the door to their master's cabin opened, she pushed Valenya in and let the door close behind her. It took her a moment to realize that she now had no place to sleep. She frowned, she was about to go to the lounge when a wicked smile crossed her face. She sat down next to the door and let the force enhance her senses.

Two hours later she dimmed the lights in the hallway and hit the door pad, the door slid open and she slipped inside. Using the force she guided herself to the far side of the bed and wiggled quietly under the covers next to her master. Valenya's arm was draped over Ty'karus. Akita was careful not to disturb them as she pulled the covers over herself. Valenya's hand slipped and stopped on Akita's shoulder, she smiled and closed her eyes.

Ty'karus woke first. He opened his eyes and came face to face with Akita's beautiful red face, he smiled and ran a finger across her lekku. He never grew tired of waking with her nuzzled into him. It took him but a moment to remember the events of the evening and his blood froze. He gently turned over, working not to disturb Akita. Valenya was there next to him still asleep.

He was momentarily unsure if he should smile or run in fear. He lay there taking stock and realized that he felt good, balanced as if the final piece of the puzzle was in place. He was about to analyze it then decided against it. Instead he slid out of bed put on his pants and headed to the kitchen. He returned ten minutes later with breakfast. The door slid open and he was relieved to find both women still asleep.

He paused for a moment and just looked at them. 'Nope no way my luck holds after this. I'm going to die a harsh and horrible death' He thought.

He crawled on the end of the bed and lightly put a hand on each woman's leg. They both roused and awoke at the same time.

"Good morning" He said with a smile. He waved his hand over the food sending the smell towards his apprentices. Akita stretched and let out a yawn. Valenya pulled the covers tight against herself. He pushed the tray forward so it came to rest between the two women.

Ty'karus sat quietly and watched as Akita sat up and pulled the Spiran caf into her hand, she sipped it and let out a satisfying sound. Valenya did not move she just sat there looking very uncomfortable. Ty'karus floated the cup of Spiran caf towards her and she finally took it. She held it close and sipped it quietly. Akita kept eying the food, she took a few more sips of the Spiran caf and let the cup float back to the tray. She climbed to the end of the bed and gave Ty'karus a quick kiss then slid back, fluffed her pillow and sat against the back wall. Settled into place she pulled the plate of food to her. Valenya looked at her eyes wide. Akita looked at her then back to Ty'karus.

"What?" she asked, her voice muffled due to the food in her mouth.

"Sheets my dear, sheets." Ty'karus smiled at her. She looked down and realized that the sheets had fallen away when she went to kiss Ty'karus.

"Oh please. I think given the circumstances we are past that." She beamed. Valenya picked up the plate and began eating. She kept her eyes on the plate as she poked at the food. "Valenya are you ok?" he asked quietly. She looked at him for the first time and smiled.

"I am fine, I just, Akita is going to say this is my logical Chiss side speaking but I need to know." She paused and finished a mouthful of food.

"Need to know what Val?" Akita chirped.

"I need to know what happens next." Valenya took another mouthful of food. Ty'karus was about to speak when Akita cut him off.

"Val don't over analyze it. You enjoyed yourself last night don't deny it." Akita chuckled, Valenya's face flushed and she remained silent. "So did you." She waved a piece of toast at Ty'karus. "And I was very happy that two people I care so much about finally got to know each other." She chortled and emphasized the word 'know'. "If everyone here is happy why examine it to death?" she smiled confident that she had addressed the issues and provided a common sense perspective.

When neither Ty'karus nor Valenya said anything Akita continued.

"We are going to be together, most likely until we die, which, let's face it, will probably be sooner than any of us would like. As long as this circle stays as it is I have no problem." She sat quietly and chewed a piece of crispy meat. Valenya looked at both of them with a confused look.

"Oh and to be clear" Akita pointed at Ty'karus. "That means we figure out how to prevent this kind of uncontrolled blending so that your harem doesn't grow any bigger." She shook her finger at him to make her point. Valenya was nodding in agreement.

"I agree." She said timidly. Ty'karus put on his best contemplative face and nodded agreement also.

"I think I have that figured out. The crystals I showed you, the red ones, I just need to find one more and we will each have one. It will allow us to share power but keep a tighter grip on our individuality." He sat quietly waiting for their responses. Valenya leaned forward a bit.

"And until then?" she asked.

"Until then you two keep the crystals. If we use the device to bring someone new to our way of thinking you can control the flow of energy, I will do the dirty work so to speak." He had no hesitation about leaving them in control, they could both feel it.

They sat together in silence, Ty'karus watched as the two women finished their breakfasts. He sat in meditation touching each one with the force to determine their feelings. It put a smile on his face when he felt it for the first time. It was quiet at first but it was clear. They still had questions concerns, they knew the odds they were up against but they had hope and they had some small measure of peace. From Valenya, his dear sweet Valenya he felt trust and contentment. Valenya laughed. It surprised Ty'karus and Akita. She put a hand over her mouth.

"What's so funny Val?" Akita asked.

"I was just thinking we are going to need a bigger bed." She beamed a smile at Akita.

"If you will excuse me ladies I am going to check on Kwiee and then take a shower." He exited the room not waiting for a reply. Akita turned quickly to Valenya her smile told Valenya what she was going to ask.

"It was very nice Akita." She said. Akita smiled at her.

"Well tell me." She demanded. Valenya gave her a shocked look.

"Are all Twi'leks this open?" Akita giggled at the question.

"We are pragmatists that's all, now stop stalling and tell me." Akita pleaded.

"It was nice. I don't have anything to compare it to. The physical aspect was, Oh I can't believe I'm talking about this." She flustered. "It was very nice but the balancing, as you called it. It completed the picture, it put all the other visions into perspective. It's like the act somehow enhanced our force telepathic traits to a new level it." She stopped. Akita's face wore a frown and her arms were crossed.

"You can't resist can you. You just have to analyze everything. Just once tell me how it felt without treating it like one of master Paor's classes." She sighed.

Valenya sat thinking for a moment then a small mischievous smile crossed her face.

"It was great I can't wait to do it again." A sudden look of shock crossed Valenya's face. "Oh Akita I am sorry I should not have said that. It's so inconsiderate of me." Akita looked confused.

"What?" she asked clearly confused.

"I shouldn't have said that and I was out of line with the comment about a bigger bed. I am so sorry." She put her hands over her face in embarrassment. Akita reached out and pulled Valenya's hands down.

"If we were normal people I would agree, perhaps I would even feel jealousy. But we are not normal people, we were Jedi. We've spent the majority of our lives accepting that the attachments of any kind are wrong. So while I get what you're worried about. I just can't feel it, can you?" she asked. Valenya shook her head.

"Not really. I know how I feel about being with him, how it makes me feel but I don't own him, you can't own someone not like that." She said with a small smile.

Akita laughed. "Well don't tell him that." They both laughed.

"So we are ok?" Akita took Valenya's hand as she asked. Valenya shook her head.

"Yeah we are ok, just nobody else." They both nodded their agreement.

Later that morning they sat together in the lounge Valenya frowned as she looked between Akita and Ty'karus. "What did you mean by 'If' we use the device? I thought it was a given. We need more people." Akita wore a frown now as she gave attention to the question.

Ty'karus sighed. "I don't want to be just another version of Sith or Jedi. If we can't convince people that this is the right path without brainwashing then perhaps we are wrong." He dropped his eyes from the women unable to look at them.

"No you are not wrong, we are not wrong. The cycle has to change." Valenya smiled as she listened to the conviction in Akita's voice.

"Look if you're not comfortable with using the device to convert someone then go back to what you did to Valenya." Valenya gave Akita a shocked look but remained quiet. "As she explained it to me you used pain and pleasure only up to a point. As soon as her barriers were down you let her make a choice based on facts right?" Akita looked to Valenya.

"I agree. It's a better option and as we discussed previously it should remove any possibility of someone recovering from a forced conversion by the device." Valenya offered. "I would also suggest that the whole process conclude with the person being given a choice. I was still plagued with doubt but when you left me at the ramp to decide, it had a significant impact on me." Valenya looked to Ty'karus trying to sense his emotions and thoughts on her comments.

"Akita?" he asked her.

"I disagree or at least I don't agree without reservation." Valenya looked surprised.

"I don't understand, what do you have against it Akita?" she asked.

"Right now nobody knows what we are doing, true the Jedi know you're not what you appear to be but frankly I don't think they would expose you. But anyone who leaves after we show them our truth, will pose a serious risk." She sat quietly, her face contemplative.

Valenya could sense the answer behind Akita's eyes but she needed to hear it. "What would you propose then?" Akita looked up, her yellow eyes met Valenya's.

"I am a warrior Valenya you know what I would propose, but given how that would affect us all I think the only other option is secrecy. We need to hide our faces, appearances from anyone we try to bring to our way of thinking." Akita looked to Ty'karus for a response. He sat quietly for a moment.

"I agree and I may have some ideas but it all hinges on our next move. For that I need to test the range on the crystal. For now I am going to let Kwiee out and give him some air. We can test the device later." He got up and leaned in to Akita kissing her deeply.

Valenya looked away until he pulled her gently from her seat and put his arms around her waist. She looked at him and smiled. He kissed her all the while fondling her. She smacked at his hand and pulled back. He was smiling at her. She pushed him toward the hallway.

"Master you need to go see to Kwiee." He nodded and headed out of the lounge. "And you're sure that won't get weird?" she asked Akita.

"Not unless we let it. Besides it will only add to our Sith Jedi slave act." She gave Valenya a wicked smile. Valenya flushed.

"I swear Val you get more upset about the way I act his slave than you are about sharing him." They laughed together.


	35. Chapter 35 Kwiee

Chapter 35 Kwiee

Ty'karus entered the cargo bay and keyed the lights. Kwiee sat on the mat looking bored. He stood up as soon as the lights came up. "About bloody time. A few minutes more and I would have pissed myself in here." Ty'karus laughed. Kwiee's face showed his surprise as his Sith captor laughed.

"You are free to come out. We are in hyperspace so if you feel like escaping I won't stop you." He smiled at Kwiee. "Go near a radio and I will pull out your entrails and make you eat them." There was no smile this time.

"Got it, out good, radio bad." Kwiee's eyes darted around the room.

"You don't trust me?" Ty'karus asked. Kwiee gave him an odd look.

"You're a Sith, no offence." He said. Ty'karus nodded his head.

"Fair point. But in this case you can trust me, if I wanted you dead." He paused.

"I would be dead already." Kwiee finished the statement. "But if you're not going to kill me, what's your plan? Sith always have a plan, Sith without a plan is a corpse if my years working for your master has taught me anything." When he realized that no answer was coming he took a few exploratory steps towards the door, he paused then hastened his steps and headed out the door. Ty'karus followed him. They came to the shared fresher, Ty'karus waited until he stepped inside then he turned and headed to the bridge.

Akita was sitting in the command chair, she liked to watch the lights outside during hyperspace travel. Ty'karus entered the bridge and stood behind her. "I spoke with Valenya." She said. She could feel his concern spike. "Relax she is fine. We are fine." She turned the chair to face him. "Just as you planned Master."

Her eyes held a glint of knowing. Ty'karus looked at her, it still hurt to see the lines on her face, the yellow in her eyes where there was none before. All the result of touching the dark side. The look on her face dared him to deny it. Instead he leaned in and kissed her. As he pulled back she smiled at him. "Thank you for not denying it. Master" he sighed.

"I promised no lies. Does Val know?" his eyes narrowed as he worked to look into her. Akita sat back and crossed her legs.

"Not yet, but she will. Each time we join with you, we see more of you. But don't worry. By the time she figures it out she will be like me. Addicted to you. To this thing we have and the pleasure of the blending." Her voice was silk it was warm, inviting, it moved him. His eyes widened

"Where did you learn to do that?" she seemed pleased at his shock.

"From you. Master, during the balancing." It was easy to push her out, he had far more experience with Sith arts but that she had learned it from him was a surprise indeed.

He left the bridge and headed to the lounge where he sensed conflict. As the conflict grew he moved quicker. He entered the lounge just in time to see Kwiee hanging in the air, just beyond him Valenya stood with a hand outstretched.

"Valenya put him down please." He said in a cold controlling voice. Kwiee fell to the floor. Ty'karus ignored him and moved to Valenya. Her eyes were sharp and angry. He felt no darkness in her, for which he was grateful.

"Disgusting vile man!" she spat past Ty'karus at Kwiee. Ty'karus gave her a look and told her to go see if Akita needed help on the bridge. She gave no argument and left the lounge in a storm.

Ty'karus turned and knelt down next to Kwiee. "If you anger either of them further I won't need to make plans for you." He helped the man up and pushed him into a chair.

"Do keep in mind that you are a guest here and whatever you may think of your value, they are more use to me than you will ever be." Ty'karus sat on the couch in a meditative pose. Kwiee composed himself and stepped over to the kitchen and looked for food. Ty'karus took the time to look into the man's thoughts and feelings. It was not a complicated activity, yet he was surprised to find the man was intelligent and giving some thought to his survival.

Kwiee took a seat and began picking at the food he had put on a plate.

"You thought I was sent to kill you." He paused a moment as he chewed one of the protein replacements on his plate. "So either your master is trying to kill you and I was not informed or someone gave you bad Intel. In either case it puts you in a precarious spot. Perhaps I can help." He guzzled a large glass of blue milk.

"Go on." Ty'karus said coldly. Kwiee smiled at him.

"I have worked for your master for quite a number of years. You don't survive in my line of work without an edge." He gave Ty'karus a knowing smile. "I have someone on the inside." Ty'karus raised an eyebrow. The idea that someone would spy on a Sith lord was intriguing.

"You managed to find someone crazy enough to spy on a Sith lord? I find that hard to believe." He said skeptically. Kwiee sat back and put his hands behind his head. The man practically stank of pride.

"I can be of use but I am going to need assurances, I hope you can understand." Ty'karus sat looking at him for a while then he sighed.

"I'm sorry Kwiee, I'm an inquisitor, and ultimately my profession will make it impossible for you to trust anything I say. I am not sure how we can accommodate each other in the normal sense." He replied.

"Kwiee the only way this is going to work is if you give me your blind trust, it's that simple. Of course I can torture the information out of you. Oh and before you question my ability, keep in mind my apprentices are former Jedi." He sat quietly.

Kwiee fidgeted for a while. His appetite seemed to have left him. His emotions ran in different directions.

"Looks like I don't have much of a choice. If my mother saw me making a deal with a Sith on trust she would shoot me herself." He looked nervous now and sweat was visible on his face.

"I'm listening." Ty'karus leaned forward to show he was paying attention.

"Three years ago Lord Mott had me replace my crew, it was especially difficult as one of them. That is to say, I had grown attached to my pilot." Akita and Valenya entered the room and sat down near their master. Kwiee looked at them and back to Ty'karus.

"Go on, you grew attached to your pilot." Ty'karus flicked a hand at him gesturing him to continue. Valenya and Akita sat quietly.

"Your master kept my pilot and has him as a house slave. I would like to know if he is alright." He looked down at the table. Akita had a pained look on her face. Valenya's scowl had softened a bit.

"I think I know the one you're talking about. I will see what I can do. Anything else?" he asked Kwiee

"If you could arrange for his freedom I would be in your debt." Ty'karus could feel the emotion from Kwiee, it was raw and painful. This pilot was not a friend he was much more than that.

"I can't make any promises but if it's within my power to help, I will. You have my word." Ty'karus let his words go forth with the force guiding them. Kwiee looked up and believed him. Ty'karus did not want to use the force this way but he needed the man to believe.

"Some time back your master asked me to obtain a couple of custom droids for him. I sliced them. Now when they recharge they send a data spike along the power lines. I have a small room in your master's estate. I have a recording device plugged in to the right power line." Ty'karus mouth hung open. '_The man's insane, brilliant but insane._' He thought.

"I'm impressed. You're either brilliant or insane, perhaps both. Can you access the material remotely?" he knew the answer the moment he asked as Kwiee's thoughts were now laid bare.

"No my lord I can't. I have to be onsite." His voice was a bit distant. Valenya and Akita looked at Ty'karus realizing what he had done.

"You need to be in the room to obtain the intel is that correct?" the force carried his question. Kwiee nodded.

"Yes my lord, in the room." His face was blank.

"Kwiee when we land you will take this ship to Drommund Kaas and you will obtain the information then return to this ship and contact me." He let the message sink in then let go his connection to the man's mind.

"I will my lord." He blinked a few times then picked up the glass of blue milk, he took a sip.

"So we have an arrangement, I will take this ship to Drommund Kaas and get you the information as soon as possible." He smiled at Ty'karus. He smiled back. "My lord with your permission I should like to lay down." Ty'karus nodded and Kwiee left the lounge.

Once Kwiee left the room Valenya looked at Ty'karus.

"Master what you are planning?" she could feel something change in him. There was an air of excitement and fear.

"All in good time my apprentice. For now we need to test the range on the Sith device. Come there is no time to waste." He stood and headed for his cabin.


	36. Chapter 36 Proper Planning

Chapter 36 Proper planning

For the next three days they practiced using the Sith crystal. As with building their first sabers, attuning themselves to the red crystal took some time but once done, they were able to use the device to share and focus power without the boundaries between their emotions and memories collapsing. It was a completely different experience than the first time they used the Sith crystal.

Satisfied that the results were up to the task at hand Ty'karus had them both fashion an item of jewelry that would house the red crystal. They used only the force to form the item. Once completed both women were exhausted. They slept and Ty'karus spent his time in silence sitting on the floor in the room with them. Happy to listen to them breathe as he meditated and ran over his plan, again and again. He calculated as many variables as he could think of. Finally when all aligned in his mind he picked one and committed to it, casting all others aside. There was no fear no room for doubt. Everything hung in the balance and there was little room for error.

When they rose in the morning they could feel the determination in their master. Valenya and Akita woke him from his meditation and forced him to sleep. They showered and performed their daily routine of exercises.

Hours later the ships destination alarm sounded. Akita killed it immediately. She and Valenya had agreed to let him sleep for a few more hours before waking him. They organized the ship and checked on Kwiee. He was sitting in the lounge reading the news on a data pad. He ignored them as they sat and had breakfast.

Ty'karus entered the lounge looking rested. He had showered, shaved and now wore his black and red Sith garb. He did not speak, but smiled at both of them, gave them a kiss and grabbed a meal replacement bar from the kitchen then headed to the bridge. They followed leaving Kwiee alone with the news and his meal.

On the bridge Ty'karus was piloting the ship towards Nal Hutta's moon Nar Shaddaa. Sensing his mood and thoughts the women took the other seats. They sat in silence as the ship made its way through the void. Ty'karus watched the navigational computer readout. 'Just a few more minutes.' He thought.

The minute's ticked down and he activated the communication system and keyed in his code. A painful moment later the system confirmed remote connection established and he watched as his interceptor's computer acknowledged his code. The screen now presented him with his ship's log. There were a few messages but no boarding activity and the security system showed nominal across the board as did air supply and electricity. He had long ago learned that many intruders would have the skill and sense to slice the security system but very few were smart enough to top up the oxygen tanks or modify the life support sensors. In the event of an intrusion the life support systems would show that oxygen had been used and the airlock cycled.

He began the landing cycle and signaled for Akita to take the controls. He waved to Valenya and she followed him off the bridge. As soon as the door shut he slammed her against the wall and kissed her passionately, he let his hands caress her as he pushed himself against her. She responded and they stood there for several minutes locked in an embrace. He smiled at her.

"I wanted to apologize for the last few days. We have had almost no time together since..." He smiled at her, she smiled back. "...Since I first held you, felt your warm body against mine. Since we first joined." He kissed her again. "I promise if we live through this I will make time for you my love." She kissed him but said nothing. There was nothing she could say. She could feel his need to maintain focus, she knew that all their lives hung in the balance.

He let her go and left her standing in the hallway. The landing alert sounded and her stomach told her that the ship was decelerating. She returned to the bridge and stood next to Akita. Akita looked at her.

"Wow what was that, no don't tell me I know what that was." She giggled. Valenya blushed and watched as the ship entered the hangar. They were back on Nar Shaddaa.

Ty'karus insisted on going alone. He told his apprentices to stand by with this ship ready to go on a moment's notice.

"I will leave my comm unit open and broadcasting. If there is trouble you will take the ship and go. Head for a remote section of the republic and live your lives in peace." They had protested but he made them promise. Kwiee had never seen anything like it in his life, well not from a Sith. Somewhere in the back of his mind hope grew. 'Perhaps this Sith can be trusted.' He thought to himself.

Kwiee stood at the airlock. He was glad to see the Sith go. He was also happy to be back in clean clothes with a blaster strapped to his side. This Sith had given him hope that Weland may one day be free. They had only spent a few nights together and Kwiee knew it was possible it had meant more to him than Weland but he still wanted to see him free.

Valenya and Akita retracted the ramp and locked the airlock as soon as their master went out of view. The three of them headed for the bridge. They took their seats and prepared the ship for a hasty take off. Now there was nothing left to do but wait. They sat and listened to the comm noise coming from their master's wrist communicator.

They listened as he passed through customs unchallenged.

"Wait Sith aren't checked by Imperial customs? I should have known. If we make it through this we really should talk. There are some amazing financial opportunities you folks are missing out on." He chuckled. Both women gave him a look, recognizing it he sat quietly.

Minutes ticked away. They continued to listen as he passed through the port authority area and then into spaceports main area and then as he took the lift down to the hangar segregated for Sith traffic.

"Akita calm yourself it would not do to have your head explode." Valenya smiled. Akita exhaled loudly then closed her eyes. Valenya relaxed as she felt Akita's tension fade into the background.

There was a familiar sound on the comm, it was the interceptors ramp lowering. Then the door hissed open.

"Hello old girl. Did you miss me?" Ty'karus said out loud. Valenya and Akita were all ears.

"He's safely aboard." Akita said. They listened as he made his way to the bridge. Clicks, beeps and other computer sounds.

"Ok let's see if you have anything interesting to tell me." Kwiee looked at the two former Jedi and wondered how such power could reside in two beautiful and apparently high strung young women. 'Mysteries of the universe I guess.' he laughed to himself.

"All good here. I will prep for takeoff see you soon." The comm went dead. Valenya and Akita breathed a sigh of relief.

"I will takeoff as soon as you're out of the hangar." Kwiee took the command seat as soon as Akita vacated it. He watched the security panel, the monitor showed both women exit the hangar. He keyed the ramp, locked the doors and began his ascent. As soon as the ship cleared the atmosphere he relaxed. Kwiee keyed the communication panel, entered a coded frequency and waited. A moment later there was a response.

"I need to speak with Lord Mott, I have some information for him." Kwiee smiled.

Akita and Valenya exited the hangar, they each carried a pack with what few items they needed from the ship, not that either had brought much with them in the first place. They made their way through the hangar hallway to the lift and then across the public area to the Imperial hangars. They ignored the looks, the quiet and not so quiet comments from passersby.

They paused as the lift made its way to their location. The doors slid open and they stepped in. there were three imperial officers in the lift with them. Any initial leering came to an abrupt halt when they saw the marking on Akita's exposed shoulder and the lightsaber on Valenya's waist.

The lift opened and they waited, letting the officer's exit first. Akita was about to run but Valenya grabbed her by the wrist.

"Be mindful sister, there are eyes everywhere. We are Sith, we belong here, we don't run." She said quietly from between her teeth. Akita gave her an apologetic look and they sauntered the rest of the way.

The Hangar crew were onsite, apparently refueling the ship and checking the exposed landing gear. The two crewmen standing near the ramp fell back as the women approached. An imperial port officer walked down the ramp, he was conversing with a technician who followed behind him. The officer noticed them as they reached the base of the ramp and gave them a quick salute in passing.

They were both startled by a loud horn from a cargo droid. They turned to see the droid delivering a new load of missiles. They headed up the ramp and through the open door into the ships main area. They had to move to avoid the number of people moving through the ship. Ty'karus spotted them and waved them to the large table near the holo comms. He was looking over a set of schematics with a man in a suit, next to him was a woman in technical fatigues.

Valenya gave Akita a confused look.

"Don't look at me! I'm clueless." The look on her face was just as confused. They moved to the table taking up positions where they could see their master and the schematic at the same time.

He didn't look up. He pointed to the top sheet of the schematic.

"Akita for the remainder of the day you will review this material and oversee the external work and modifications. Valenya you will review this material." He pulled the top sheet back and pointed to the sections of the next sheet. "You will oversee the work for this section and those three. She gave them a glance and it was clear that her assigned areas dealt with most of the internals save the bridge and engine room.

"Yes master." They said in unison. The man and woman talked for a moment then the woman bowed before Akita and pointed toward the exit and they left together. The man turned to Valenya

"my lord if you will join me at the holo terminal we can review the options we can provide." Over the next few hours neither Akita nor Valenya had time to talk to each other or their master. They were too busy overseeing the changes and updates to the ship. Some five hours later Ty'karus gathered them up with a snap of his fingers. He left the hangar and headed to the lift without a word. From the hangar he proceeded at a quick pace to the closest luxury hotel. On Nar Shaddaa luxury was an art form.

The muscular and scantily clad male concierge showed them to their room and left them with a deep bow. The door shut behind them and Valenya let out an exhausted sigh, she threw up her hands and was about to say something when Akita grabbed her and kissed her hard on the mouth. Valenya's eyes went wide. Ty'karus found the data port he was looking for and quickly plugged the slicing device home. A moment later and the audio unit was in place. He signaled Akita with a cough and she let go of Valenya. Valenya stepped back speechless. Her face clearly showed surprise and before she could speak Ty'karus raised a hand.

"My fault all my fault." He had his hands out in mock surrender. Akita was clearly amused.

"What?! Did you tell her to do that?" Valenya blustered.

"I needed to get the surveillance gear in place before you said anything, Akita is familiar with the procedure but I failed to mention it to you before now. Akita was just being cautious, and giving the security techs something to smile at." He chuckled

Akita removed her robe and let it drop to the floor. She looked around the room and gave a low whistle. The suite was huge it had a large glass balcony that let the neon lights of Nar Shaddaa stream through. There was a large bar area and a sunken tub in one corner. The suite was open concept in that it had no separating walls or partitions save for the bathroom. On the other side of the bed there was an extra-large walk in shower with nine shower heads by Akita's count, situated in the roof and each side. The round bed was huge by any standard.

Valenya stood with her hands on her hips.

"Ok will one of you please tell me what's going on? And why we are not following Kwiee back to Drommund Kaas?" she fumed. Akita raised her hand.

"Oh and when you're done with her question I have one Master." She gave him a wicked smile.

Ty'karus sat down on one of the large chairs and pulled off his boots, as they hit the floor he gave a satisfied sigh.

"Kwiee sold me out the moment we left him alone with the ship's comm unit." He rubbed his feet. Valenya and Akita exchanged worried looks. Then Valenya smiled at him.

"You knew he was going to do that. In fact you set him up to think it was his only option." Ty'karus raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"You flat out told him that given your profession there was nothing you could say that would allay his fears and then you told him to trust you." Valenya smiled, when he did not deny it, her expression clearly showing her satisfaction.

"But why?" Akita asked.

Ty'karus now in bare feet stood and pulled off his sash.

"Because the moment I reached this ship I contacted my master and his security chief." He pulled off his shirt and sat back down. Valenya and Akita exchanged looks then Akita smiled.

"You sold him out. You told them where to find the recording device that Kwiee planted." He gave her a smile and she sat back trying to puzzle out the rest.

"You implicated Volith at the same time didn't you?" Valenya asked. Ty'karus smile vanished, a look of genuine surprise replaced it.

"Bravo but what would make you jump to that conclusion." He was impressed but the inquisitor in him was sounding alarms. Two apprentices that know you this well is always a bad thing it was saying. He calmed himself.

Valenya finally took a seat and paused as she let her body sink in and enjoy it.

"The way you talked to Volith, you knew he was newly promoted within your master's household but you encouraged him to have thoughts of killing your master. You practically promised he would go unchallenged." Akita interrupted shouting

"You recorded the conversation." She smiled at him.

He frowned and sat quietly for a while.

"Most impressive, both of you." They both smiled. Valenya frowned a moment later.

"But what happens to Kwiee?" she asked. Ty'karus was surprised and encouraged by her concern.

"I told my master that it would be best if we kept his interrogation internal. Given how it would look if others found out that this had been allowed to happen in his house, he agreed. So for now Kwiee is locked up but alive. The security chief is most certainly dead by now." He said quietly.

"And the ship, all the work the changes?" Valenya asked quizzically.

"All immediately charged to my master. All very open. If he were planning my death he would simply have summoned me home. I am unable to decline after all. We will be here for three days, if I am not summoned home prior to the work being completed I can assume things are safe. Well as safe as they can be when we are talking about Sith apprentice and master." He said openly.

"So what's next?" Valenya asked. Akita wore a pout on her face and Ty'karus looked to her.

"Yes?" he asked, Aktia smiled

"My question was next." Akita offered, Ty'karus nodded. "When were you going to tell me Valenya was such a good kisser" Akita's smile threatened to split her face. Valenya gave her a look and was going to leave the room when she realized there was nowhere to go and hiding in the bathroom was a padawan reaction and beneath her. So she decided to take the high road and sat quietly. Ty'karus was laughing quietly to himself.

A moment later he stood and removed his remaining garments. Naked he stood and stretched, then headed to the walk in shower. He set the temp and stepped inside. The apprentice's watched him for a while then seeing his smile Akita joined him, Valenya was impressed with how fast Akita could remove her clothes.

Valenya sat and watched them for a while, she recalled the conversation she and Akita had shared. Part of her suggested that this was wrong and she should not have to share this man. It was the Chiss part of her she was sure, but it took a back seat to the part of her that knew the truth. They would never have normal lives, in fact it was possible that they would not have much of any kind of life. That they should be denied enjoyment, love, happiness because it did not fit in with what was normal, simply made no sense to her. That Akita acted like an adolescent sometimes infuriated her and that the man she loved encouraged it also vexed her. In the end it did not matter, what mattered is how she felt about him, how she cared for Akita and how nice it was to feel anything at all.

Valenya stood and slowly began removing her clothes, as she did she noticed that both Akita and her master were watching her from the shower, she took her time getting undressed. The last item sitting on the floor, she swayed her hips as she made the walk to the shower and joined them.

They spent the next three days in the suite enjoying time together, exploring feelings and the simple pleasures life has to offer. Ty'karus encouraged them with kind words and love. He also spent hours teaching them to think like a Sith without holding the dark side. It was easier for Akita but Valenya was learning and continued to make insightful observations.

Late on the third evening Ty'karus received notification that the work was completed and his ship was ready. They collected their gear, took a meal together, they talked and laughed. When it was time he gave them a look reminding them that from this point forward including the trip back. They were Sith. They would practice as if their lives hung in the balance, which they all knew was true.

This was to be the last quiet trip together or the beginning of a new life with possibilities. For that reason they needed to be focused from this point forward. There was little room for error. They stood by the door, they shared a last smile and left the room.

The imperial officers exited the lift and made casual conversation as they walked down the hallway. They noticed as one that something changed, something dark was nearby. They paused, hands flexed and instinctively moved to their sidearm. One of the suite doors opened, a man stepped out shuddered visibly and stepped hastily back in the room.

They came around the corner as one person, in step. A black and red clad Sith followed by two beautiful women, one a Twi'lek, the other Chiss. The officers slammed themselves up against the wall eyes locked on the opposing wall salutes in place. The Male Sith ignored them but the Chiss female gave them a sneer. Both men remained frozen in place until the lift door slid shut behind the three Sith.

"Whew, well that settles it I'm checking out and finding another hotel. You?" the other officer just nodded.


	37. Chapter 37 End Game

Chapter 37 End game

They boarded the ship and surveyed the changes. The ship's interior had been modified so that the main cabin would accommodate three people, it was a noticeable change in size. There were additional lockers, and a number of mirrors had been installed. Lastly a large walk in shower replaced the original, it was very much like the one in the Imperial executive hotel.

The cargo bay and other interior spaces were optimized to reflect the needs of the three Sith that now lived here. They wasted little time getting underway. Once in hyperspace they sat as one and scanned the ship for surveillance equipment. Having removed the devices they found, they settled in for the trip to Drommund Kaas. They meditated, studied and spent their evenings enjoying each other's company. As Akita had predicted, Valenya came to understand Ty'karus just as she had, her doubts were gone and she accepted him just as he did her.

The ship touched down and they watched as the hangar crew went about refueling the ship and performing maintenance. They dressed and left the ship, Akita and Valenya understood that the air was charged with dark side energy and they had been prepared for it, as much as one could be. There was initial shock as the air hit them, to those unaccustomed to the dark side it was like sinking in a thick oil, you felt like it would not let go. They let enough in to allow them to feel angry and blocked the rest.

Ty'karus had described it like spending a day with a bad headache, it was always there but you could get used to it if you tried, it did not go away but you could function. As they left the ship the maintenance crew stepped away. The customs agents likewise waved them through.

All through Kaas City people looked and stared and stepped or ran out of their way. They traveled in silence, their faces blank and cold. As they exited the taxi and approached the gates to Lord Mott's estate Ty'karus looked at them both.

"I am So very proud." He turned back to the path and marched up to the gates, the guards saluted and opened the gates. A short distance and the inner doors opened before them as well.

They crossed the threshold into the lair of the beast. They turned to the right and took seats in the guest area. Lord Mott let them sit for almost an hour. Ty'karus was starting to wonder if his master's attitude had changed but was greatly relieved when he saw his master coming in person to greet him. Long before his master reached them Ty'karus stood, as he did his apprentices both dropped to one knee. He paused a moment took a single step forward and also dropped to a knee.

"Casius my my, so this is what it's like to have a rising star as an apprentice. Come show me the latest. Is she as dedicated as the first?" He signaled for Ty'karus to rise. He rose and stood stiffly awaiting his master's next command.

"Step forward child." Her ordered Valenya. She dropped her robe and took a step forward. Mott's eyebrow rose. He walked around her giving her a most appreciative look. He gave her a wave of his hand, Valenya stepped back and dropped back down on one knee.

"Casius most impressive as always but I must ask do you have something against humans?" he burst out laughing it was a ruined laugh obscured and distorted by his respirator.

"But seriously Casius next time I want you to break a human or better yet." He put a hand on Ty'karus shoulder. Ty'karus maintained his calm, he had been prepared for this, he knew his master liked to test with a touch, for one Sith to touch another was a serious threat given their force abilities. To submit to it without hesitation was a sign of trust or submission. In either case it is what Mott demanded of his servants.

"A pureblood Sith, yes I would be most interested to see if you could break a pureblood Sith." He pulled his hand back and asked again. "Do you think you could do it?"

Ty'karus paused and put on a contemplative look.

"I think so my lord. May I assume this would be a Sith who has displeased or offended you? That is to say, do you have someone in mind?" Lord Mott paused a moment then laughed again.

"Very good, very good. Yes I may. Now come let us walk and you can tell me why you have come back so soon and tell me about these expensive ship modifications I have paid for." From the angle of their travel Ty'karus could sense that they were not going to his throne room. 'First change in plans.' He thought.

Akita and Valenya kept their spot on the floor in the guest waiting area. They changed from a kneeling position to a meditative one. They concentrated on the red crystals they wore and the small box with the yellow Sith crystal in secure pocket in Akita's robe. They could feel their master as he moved through the estate.

Ty'karus and his Master approached the door to his master's study. The last time he had entered this room it had not been a pleasant experience. The door slid open and there in the room was Volith. The look on his face was guarded but spoke volumes to Ty'karus. That Volith managed to hold his tongue impressed Ty'karus.

"Casius I believe you know my apprentice Volith." Mott's eyes twinkled, Ty'karus knew how much he enjoyed this aspect of Sith politics.

"In passing yes my master." He felt the annoyance in Volith as his response.

"Why don't you tell me what you think of him?" chuckled Mott.

"Master he strikes me as a capable weapon but his ambition is overreaching. It will be his downfall." Ty'karus said in a casual manner. Volith took a single step forward, Mott gave him a look and Volith stepped back and bowed his head. Mott crossed the distance between them and stood beside his new apprentice.

"Now Volith why don't you give me your assessment of Casius here." His voice rasped behind his respirator.

Volith folded his arms across his chest and stood up straight.

"He lacks ambition, has no spine for combat, he is weak, Master" Ty'karus chuckled. It clearly infuriated Volith. Mott sighed, Volith tried to hide it but he was confused.

"My boy that's the way of an inquisitor, they want you to think they are weak, only a fool turns his back on a Sith holding the dark side." It was Mott's turn to give Ty'karus a look. Volith did not see it but Ty'karus knew it for what it was. An accusation and a statement of contempt. Ty'karus knew that his master found him useful, but his attitude was not what it once was.

Mott paused for a moment.

"What would make you think he has no ambition Volith?" the question sounded genuine. 'Come on let your anger guide your brain Volith' he hoped quietly. Volith arched an eyebrow and froze. Ty'karus was hoping the man would misstep here and save him the trouble.

"Just a feeling Master" he bowed to Mott with a smile. 'Oh well nothing easy today' Ty'karus thought.

"He speaks the truth Master, in comparison my ambition is lacking. I commend Volith on his ambition but I still think he is over reaching. He has been here less than a month and already he has delusions of grandeur. He would be the apprentice turned Lord of the Sith." Ty'karus chuckled openly. Volith froze, his emotions betrayed him and Mott turned to him.

"Is this true Volith, do you seek to challenge me already?" His voice was like ice, even through his respirator Volith could hear the threat in the question.

Volith was about to deny it when Ty'karus keyed a button on his wrist.

"Very well Casius, I see no reason to stand in the way of progress. We have an understanding then. When I kill our master you will be allowed to continue your research."

Ty'karus smiled at Volith who looked like he was going to swallow his tongue. Mott looked at Volith, who took a step backwards. Ty'karus could sense that somewhere in Volith's mind he was actually contemplating reaching for his lightsaber. Ty'karus could not imagine he had such luck. Volith made a conscious effort to keep his hands away from his weapons. Mott broke a long rasping laugh that was as much cough as anything else. Ty'karus chuckled along with his master.

"Do not feel too bad Volith you have been played by an Inquisitor. Remember it's what they do! And this one is very good at it. I will, however, not tolerate an apprentice who is this gullible in the future, do you understand?" Mott's message was crystal clear, Volith bowed first to his master then reluctantly to Ty'karus.

Mott stepped further into his study, Volith followed. Mott took his favorite seat and motioned Volith to stand at his right. True to form Ty'karus stood at the door waiting his master's permission to enter. Mott waved him to a seat, another slap to Volith's station in the house.

"So Casius tell me, why are you here? Oh don't think I am not grateful already. The young Jedi, Voliths shame" he chuckled and looked back at Volith. "And let's not forget Kwiee. That was good work on its own. But I sense you have something else?" his eyes narrowed.

Ty'karus opened one of his belt pouches, pulled out a small device, it looked a lot like a miniaturized lightsaber. Ty'karus handed it to his master. Mott turned it over in his hand.

"What is it? And Casius please keep the explanation simple" he asked.

"It's the answer to the riddle of how Darth Zash managed to kill Darth Scotia while she was conveniently and most publicly at a dinner party here in Kaas City." Mott turned the item over in his hand again. He reached out and keyed a switch on the nearby table. A light over the door turned red.

"We are free to talk. Tell me how this was done?" he put the device down on the table. Ty'karus cleared his throat.

"As you know my master, Darth Scotia was more machine than man. Darth Zash arranged for her apprentice to obtain that interesting piece of technology. It doesn't look like much but it's a short range cyber neutralizer. Once activated it hijacks all localized cybernetic equipment in the area and induces a feedback loop. The end result is intense pain and paralysis. Skotia did not stand a chance." Mott sat back quietly for a moment.

"The potential in this is interesting" he rubbed at his respirator as if it were his chin. Ty'karus let his barriers down just enough to allow his doubt slip out.

"Casius what are you concerned about?" Mott asked.

"Master this technology is new and outside of this room there are only two people who know it exists, Darth Zash and her apprentice. Given the circumstances it is unlikely that she will use it again as it could provide the proof the council needs to move against her for killing Skotia. That being said, each time it's used increases the possibility that someone will detect it and create a counter device. It should be used sparingly." He sat back and waited.

Mott stood, picked up the device with the force and held it in place while he keyed the personal safe in the wall. With the safe closed and locked he turned to Volith.

"You see what this weak servant of mine brings me, power, knowledge a way to kill my enemies. What have you brought me Volith? The rage coming from Volith was palpable, no doubt Lord Mott was reveling in it. Volith opened his mouth to speak when his eyes suddenly shot wide. He was looking past his master at Ty'karus hand, where he held a duplicate of the device their master had just locked in his safe. Ty'karus smiled and activated the device.

Lord Mott jerked and lurched as his cybernetic arm twitched uncontrollably. More urgent for Mott was the malfunctioning respirator. With his good hand he clutched at the respirator desperately trying to remove it. Volith recovered from his shock and pulled his lightsaber. Ty'karus pulled on the force and lifted Volith into the air, as he did the warrior began to spin in place, slow at first then at breakneck speed.

It had begun, both Akita and Valenya felt the change in their master's emotions. They wasted no time, both darted from the room and headed for Lord Mott's study. They were in place before anyone could raise the alarm. Neither of them attempted to open the door, instead they both knelt placing the door at their backs. They focused all their energy through the red control crystals in to the yellow Sith crystal. Their combined power now flowed through the door and into their master. Sitting here in the open focused on the fight behind the door they were vulnerable, their plan depended on their master's speed and surprise.

Ty'karus felt the surge of additional power and let it loose on his master. The tall warrior snapped upright as the burst of lightning hit him. Ty'karus let go of the lightning and pulled on his master's life force draining it. The lord of the Sith struggled for his lightsaber, finally pulling it free with his other hand. Ty'karus switched again and sent dark energy into his masters damaged body poisoning him and greatly reducing his abilities. There was no room to maneuver in this small study if Mott managed to get his saber free and active it could be the end for Ty'karus.

Ty'karus snapped his static shield in place hoping it would buy him the time he needed. Mott struggled against Ty'karus attack working desperately to get his saber activated. He was struggling to breath without his respirator, it was clear he needed this fight to be over soon or he would risk losing consciousness.

Mott cackled as his saber blazed to life. He pulled back on his saber and Ty'karus sent out a shock wave of force. Lord Mott was slammed against the wall, his lightsaber caught Volith just above the belt. He fell to the ground in pieces. Mott struggled to regain control as the effects of the cyber neutralizer began to wear off.

Ty'karus pulled again and held both hands out toward his master. Lightning once again blazed forth. Mott moved against it as a man fighting gale force winds. His lightsaber outstretched trying to reach Ty'karus. Motts armor began to fail bits and pieces burnt away under the intense barrage of lighting. Ty'karus watched as the poison he had injected into his master continued its work. Veins on his face appeared the green was almost neon against his pale skin. The ragged remnants of his mouth were now full of ****. He took another step and Ty'karus retreated a step and stopped finding himself backed against the door.

Even in his rapidly decaying condition Mott found the strength to laugh and glare at Ty'karus. Another step and his lightsaber was closer to its target. Ty'karus knew one more would be his undoing. He let out a scream of rage and stepped forward toward the saber, Mott was pushed backwards by the renewed attack. Ty'karus took another step and Mott's saber flickered and went out. Mott's body slammed back into the wall, blood gurgled from his open mouth and green fluid leaked from his eyes. Ty'karus let go of the lightning and sank to the floor. Mott crashed to the floor next to Voliths torso, smoke rose from his body. Ty'karus took note that most of the man's chest was little more than burnt flesh and bone. That he had survived this long was a testament to his rage and strength.

Mott rolled himself over, his breathing was ragged and fast, his eyes were covered in green liquid and blood now ran freely from his mouth and nose. The smell of burnt metal and flesh filled the room. Motts dead eyes looked up at his apprentice. He chuckled and blood bubbled from his mouth.

"Always knew it would be you." And he was gone.

Ty'karus struggled to his feet and keyed the door, it slid open with a hiss. He pulled himself upright and stepped out of the smoke into the main foyer. Guards and Acolytes were rushing to the aid of their Master. Akita and Valenya rose to their feet, Ty'karus noticed the small box on the floor between them. It was smoking, black liquid leaked from it. He did not need to look inside to know the yellow Sith crystal was shattered.

Akita stood at his left and Valenya his right. The Acolytes and guards surrounded them but did not attack. It was clear to everyone that something significant had just taken place. Ty'karus took an unsteady step forward.

"I have killed my master and my fellow apprentice Volith." He paused letting that sink in. Pzaxim Tan, Volith's apprentice was standing nearby, he looked down unwilling to meet Ty'karus gaze.

Moments passed and none of the guards or acolytes moved. The guards had lowered or holstered their weapons. Some had begun whispering to each other. From the crowd a thin middle aged human stepped forward.

"My Lord I am Rosk Lakar, I am the Sith attaché assigned to your former master, let me be the first to congratulate you on your promotion." He bowed deeply. "If you will allow me and my assistant to enter the room." He pointed to the study.

"There are some official formalities to attend to." He gave Ty'karus a thin smile. "All part of the transfer of power. I assure you we will be in and out in no time. My Lord" Ty'karus was still recovering from the encounter all he could muster at this point was a curt nod in Rosk's direction. Rosk bowed again and snapped his fingers, a short nimble alien that Ty'karus did not recognize darted out of the crowd with a scanner and communication device. They both disappeared into the study.


	38. Chapter 38 Aftermath

Chapter 38 Aftermath

The guards were not Sith, but regular imperials. They had little interest in politics and had already accepted the change in power. The commander of the guards stepped forward, snapped a salute, and asked if there were any orders. Ty'karus ignored the soldiers and told the commander he would want to speak with him later in the day. He acknowledged the order and he and his men returned to their posts.

The general house staff lingered until Ty'karus waved them away, at which point they all beat a hasty retreat. Akita and Valenya stood beside him but did not drop their cold Sith façade's. '_Just one last act, then I can get some rest_' he thought.

Ty'karus looked at the two acolytes and Volith's apprentice Pzaxim Tan. He waved them forward, the two acolytes darted to a spot just a few feet in front of him. Pzaxim was slow to respond, he pushed his way between the two acolytes and stood before Ty'karus with his arms folded over his chest. Ty'karus gave him a passing smile.

Ty'karus let his eyes move between the three of them. The acolytes kept their eyes down, and their emotions in check. Pzaxim's thoughts flitted between hate and revenge. In any other Sith house under any other Sith master, he would be the prize out of the three. The acolytes had only recently arrived from Korriban and had not completed their training. Ty'karus smiled at Pzaxim.

"You are full of rage and thoughts of revenge. You are like a weapon on overload just waiting to explode. All you care about is your hate and rage." Pzaxim sneered at him. Ty'karus pulled his saber and cleaved the apprentice in half with one clean strike. Valenya and Akita lost their focus, as shock was clear on their faces. The acolytes jumped back avoiding the two halves of Pzaxim Tan as they fell to the floor.

Ty'karus secured his saber and smiled at the two acolytes. Both looked no older than eighteen, the female was Rattataki, the muscular male a human.

"I don't need explosive weapons." His voice was an ice cold whisper, he stepped close. Their eyes were wide, he reached out a hand and placed his index finger under the chin of the Rattataki acolyte lifting her face to meet his. He leaned in so that his lips almost touched hers.

"I need surgical tools, capable of self-control." He turned his head and pulled the human's face close to his.

"I want weapons that can sneak and slither past my enemies and sit quietly. Waiting for my order to act." As he pulled his hands from their faces they could see that bright tendrils of lightning dancing across his fingers.

"You have no will but mine, understand?" Both dropped to the floor on their knees.

"Yes master!" Ty'karus dismissed them with a wave of his hand.

With all ears out of the area, Akita and Valenya approached him.

"What was that about?" Valenya pointed to Pzaxim's corpse on the floor.

"I needed to send a message." He gave her a cold stare. Valenya held his gaze for a moment then stepped back.

"Yes my master." She bowed her head. Akita gave him a look

"Remember when I said you didn't scare me anymore? I was wrong." She gave him a look that was both excitement and fear.

Valenya and Akita were recovering when Rosk stepped out of the study with his assistant.

"My lord. I've completed the required confirmation and the relevant paperwork has been sent to the ministry of logistics and the Sith Academy." He looked at his wrist chrono.

"Official transfer of power should be completed within the next hour." Rosk handed him a bag bearing the markings of the Sith and Imperial Logistics. Ty'karus looked inside the bag. The most prominent items were a set of security keys. Ty'karus pulled them out and tucked them safely away in one of his belt pouches.

"I will see to the disposition of his body. I placed his saber on the table my lord." Rosk bowed deeply. Ty'karus thanked him then sent him on his way.

Ty'karus spent the next hour speaking with various officials via comms in the command office. He was wondering why he had never given thought to what happens after an apprentice kills one's master. '_Nobody mentioned the blasted paperwork._' He thought. He snapped his fingers at a manager droid, it immediately rushed to his side. It was black with red accents and symbols on its right shoulder.

"What is your designation?" he immediately regretted the question. He quickly held up his hand and the droid paused.

"You are now designated First. Understand?" the droid nodded

'Yes master." It fell silent again.

"Very well, First, you will arrange for my personal belongings to be brought from my old home." First gave him a quick acknowledgement and headed off towards one of the communication consoles. '_Best conversations I have ever had with a droid._' He smiled to himself. Ty'karus spoke briefly with the security chief and Rosk. They left the command office at a brisk pace, Valenya and Akita fell in next to their master.

They entered the lift and Rosk hit the keypad. Ty'karus keyed the internal comm unit in the elevator.

"Security this is Ty'karus escort that slave to the holding cell." There was a pause then a response.

"Sir he is already on his way." Ty'karus confirmed and deactivated the comm unit.

They stepped out of the elevator and proceeded down a hall full of armored doors.

"Chief how many of these cells are occupied?" the chief glanced nervously at a data pad in his hand.

"All of them my lord." Ty'karus looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

"When we are done here I am going to need a briefing on each. I know you're new, it's my fault, after all, so I can hardly hold you responsible for not being up to speed. But I am only so forgiving. Understood chief?" the chief nodded his head vigorously.

"I will have the information as soon as possible my lord." He assured.

They entered a holding area at the end of the hall. Sitting at a table in chains was Kwiee, he had a split lip and a number of bruises on his face. The fear in his face grew when he saw Ty'karus enter the room. The two guards grabbed hold of him as he tried to push away from the table. On the other side of the room was a well-dressed male slave, his eyes downcast. Ty'karus pointed at Kwiee.

"Remove his shackles." The guard complied immediately. Kwiee gave him a confused look.

"Lord Mott is dead. You work for me now, understand?" Kwiee shook his head, he croaked out a weak "Yes my lord," and sat back down in the chair.

"I understand why you made the play you did. In your situation, I would have done the same." He held up a finger. "That is the only time you will work against me so long as you both live." Kwiee had the look of a man in shock.

"Get him some water and make a note in whatever log you need to that he is in my good graces." the guard closest to him snapped to attention and left to get water for Kwiee. Rosk waved the other guards out.

"Kwiee you may visit your friend anytime you are here. I will allow his duties to be suspended any time he is with you." Ty'karus reached out his hand, the slave lifted off his feet into the air, his hands clutching at his throat.

"Tell me I don't need to explain to you what happens if I ever have reason to doubt your loyalty?" Kwiee's eyes were wide. The smell of surrender permeated the room. His pointed had been made.

"No my lord. I swear you won't ever have cause." His voice was pleading. Ty'karus released the slave and left them.

They spent the next few hours looking through the estate. Ty'karus tested all of the doors with the security keys and found only one door that the keys did not open. The door was in the throne room behind one of the draped areas. It had a biometric security system along with an alphanumeric keypad. Ty'karus was about to use his lightsaber when something made him hesitate. He opened himself to the force and felt it respond. It was behind the door waiting for him. It wanted him to find it, he heard it whispering in his mind.

Ty'karus left the room only to return a few minutes later with Lord Mott's cybernetic hand, he placed it against the security pad and the light turned green. He looked at the alphanumeric pad and let go. He stood there waiting listening and breathing until he felt his hand move, he gave no resistance. He trusted the force and the whispers in the room behind the wall. There was a click as his fingers finished inputting the code and the door slid open. Akita let out a quiet "Wow!" Valenya covered her mouth to stifle her surprise.

The room beyond the door was about fifteen feet long and had just enough space to let two people walk shoulder to shoulder. The room held shelves that went from the floor to the ceiling, the lighting was deep red rather than a cool white. The shelves held all manner of items, there were three ornate lightsaber's, he noticed a pot with ancient markings, and a manuscript suspended in a glass case. He let his eyes pass over the items until he saw it. There in the back sitting in an anti grav field was the holocron, the source of the whispers. He reached for it but stopped at the last moment, instead he just let his fingers sit over the cube.

The cube whispered to him, it asked him questions and painted pictures in his mind. He answered the questions and looked in wonder at the things it showed him. It told him of a place where power was stored. A place that could give him the tools to bring together others like him. The path would not be easy, it assured him, but if he was dedicated it would help him.

Valenya shook him, Ty'karus blinked and returned to the here and now.

"Master are you alright?! We were getting worried." He gave them a curious look.

"Worried why?" his mind was clearing, he was filled with an excitement unlike anything he had known before. "You were standing there for almost two hours." He smiled at Valenya and Akita.

"Come, we have work to do."

THE END….


End file.
